The Echinoderm Fauna of South Africa. 239 



Abactinal skeleton with paxillae concealed, more or less, under 



a remarkable aupradorsal membrane . . Pterasteridae. 



Pedicellariae abundant, especially forcipiform; ambulacral ossicles crowded; 



pedicels in four series ..... Asteriidae. 



Disk circular sharply set off from the long, more or less terete and readily 



detachable arms; marginal plates microscopic or wanting . Brisingidae. 



PORCELLANASTERIDAE. 



This deep water family is represented in the South African region 

 by only a single species. 



PORCELLANASTER C/ERULEUS. 



Wyville Thomson, 1877. Voy. Challenger: Atlantic, vol 1, p. 378; 



figs. 97, 98. 



The specimens are all small, with R = 7-9 mm. They are too 

 young to make their specific identity certain but comparison with 

 somewhat larger specimens of ccerulms, taken by the CHALLENGER and 

 the BLAKE, indicates that they are immature examples of that species. 

 The only noteworthy differences are the absence of spines on the 

 supermarginal plates and the incomplete calcification of the inter- 

 brachial areas below. Both these however are easily accounted for 

 as evidence of immaturity. On account of the locality, it would be 

 natural to refer these specimens to P. eremicus Sladen but I am 

 myself satisfied that the specimen on which that species is based, 

 is a young cceruleus. 



P.F. 16905. Cape Point, N.E. by E. '/4 E., 40 miles. 800-900 fms. 

 Green mud. 1 specimen ; young. 



P.F. 17351. Cape Point, N. 83 E., 43 miles. 900-1000 frns. 

 Gray mud. 3 specimens; young. 



BENTHOPECTINIDAE. 



This family of deep-water starfishes was not known from the 

 South African region hitherto, but the PIETER FAURE has found two 

 species, each representing an interesting genus. One of these forms 

 was known only from near Kerguelen while the other is a widely 

 distributed Atlantic species. They may be separated from each other 

 by the characters given in the following key. but it is evident that 

 each is somewhat variable and does not conform exactly to a strict 

 specific description. 



