SHALLOW-WATER STARFISHES 63 



g. Dorsal spines small, subequal, slender, clavate. 



Van regularis Ver., nov., p. 139. Alaska. 

 gg. Dorsal spines short, mammilliform, arranged somewhat in rows. 



Var. subregularis Ver., nov., p. 139. Alaska. 



xx. Dorsal and marginal ossicles stout, closely united, overlapping; median 

 dorsal radial row prominent, bearing the larger capitate spines in a 

 conspicuous irregular row; other spines of the larger sort form 

 an irregular radial row on each side; inferomarginal spines longer 

 and larger, two or three to a plate; single row of peractinals simi- 

 lar. Disk is rather wide, depressed. 

 L. dispar Ver., nov., p. 142. Aleutian Is. 



GG. Interactinal and submarginal plates rather stout, lobate, closely joined in 

 three to five regular longitudinal rows; each plate may bear one, 

 two or more spines, forming, in the adult, four to eight or more 

 rows of uniform or similar ventral spines. Rays five, rounded, 

 usually long and tapered. Dorsal ossicles mostly reticulate. Papu- 

 lar areas large. Unguiculate dorsal pedicellarix lacking. 

 Genus Evasterias Ver., nov., p. 151. 



i. Rays five, gradually tapered. Dorsal spines numerous, unequal, areolate 

 or reticulate, often clustered; larger ones short, capitate or trun- 

 cate; smaller ones acute, capitate or clavate. Marginal spines in 

 regular rows ; longer than the dorsals ; interactinal spines still 

 longer, forming four to six or more regular close rows, curving 

 strongly upward proximally; adoral spines elongated. 

 E. troschelii (St.), p. 151. Calif, to Alaska. 

 j. Dorsal spines acervate, or forming very evident nodular groups with larger 



central capitate spines, and often, also, a median row. 

 Var. subnodosa Ver., nov., p. 163. Puget Sd. to Alaska, 

 jj. Dorsal spines not acervate. 



k. Dorsal spines smaller, very numerous, mostly clavate or subacute, few 

 capitate, rough, openly reticulate; papular areas large; numerous 

 crowded interactinal spines. Size large. 

 Var. rudis Ver., nov., p. 158. Vancouver I., etc. 

 kk. Dorsal spines nearly all capitate, not very unequal. 



I. Dorsal spines nearly uniform, capitate, forming close reticulations, the 



spines in single lines on the ossicles. 

 Var. densa Ver., nov., p. 161. Vancouver I. 



II. Rays of moderate length, dorsal spines all capitate, reticulations coarse; 



both marginal rows of spines simple or nearly so, spines not 

 crowded ; two or three actinal rows, not crowded. 



Var. alveolata Ver., nov., p. 162. Vancouver I. to Alaska, 

 kkk. Dorsal spines not very unequal, nearly all slender, clavate or subclavate, 

 areolate, not acervate; marginals larger, subcapitate. Pedicellarise 

 numerous. 



Var. parvispina Ver., nov., p. 163. Alaska. 



ii. Rays five, long and large, acute at tips. Dorsal spines very numerous, 

 small, unequal, the larger obtuse. The smaller ones are mostly 

 acute and arranged in clusters and short transverse lines or combs, 

 producing an imperfectly reticulate pattern, without distinct radial 



