240 Annals of the South African Museum. 



Key to the South African Species of Benthopectinidae. 



Papularium a small, circular elevated area; one large spine on actinal surface of 

 adarnbulacrals ...... Pectinaster filholi. 



Papularium V-shaped; three large spines on actinal surface of each adambul- 

 a.rral ........ Luidiaster hirsutus. 



PECTINASTEU FILHOLI. 



Perrier, 1885. Ann. Sci. Nat. (6), vol. 19, no. 8, p. 71. 

 Sladen, 1889, CHALLENGER Ast., pi. 8, figs. 3, 4 (as forcipatns). 



The South African specimens show slight, hut obvious differences 

 from a coti/pe of filholi with which I have compared them, hut agree 

 very closely with a cotype and other specimens, from the north- 

 western Atlantic, of Sladen's Pontaster forcipatns. From the geogra- 

 phical point of view they would naturally, and I think correctly be 

 referred to Sladen's variety echinata (sic) but Ludwig considers forci- 

 patns a synonym of filholi and after a comparative study of the 

 material in the M. C. Z., I believe he is right. The species has a 

 wide range from near Nova Scotia in the northwest to the vicinity 

 of Marion Island in the southeast, but it is always an abyssal form, 

 ranging from 699 fms. down to 1700. The specimens taken by the 

 I'IETER FAURE are of varied size, the smallest having R = 8 mm. 

 and r = 2(R = 4r), while the largest has R = 59 mm. and r = 11 

 (R = 5'4r); the body form is thus assumed very early in life. In 

 spinulation, the smallest specimen is surprisingly like the largest, the 

 only difference of importance being the presence, in the adult, of 

 two spines on many inferomarginal plates. The youngster has only 

 a very minute madreporite, scarcely distinguishable, and the papularia 

 are each represented by a single pore, or two, but in the largest 

 specimen there are only 10-12 pores in each papulariurn. The number 

 and distribution of the pedicellariae shows great diversity in this 

 species; in the PIETER FAURE specimens they are rather numerous 

 but are confined to the actinal surface. 



I'.F. 16902. Cape Point, N.E. by E. '/', E., 40 miles. 800-900 fms. 

 Gr. in. 3 specimens; young. 



P.F. 16905. Same station. 1 specimen; very young. 



P.F. 17332. Cape Point, N. 86 E., 43 miles. 900-1000 fms. 

 Gray m. 6 specimens; adult and young. 



P.F. 17351. Same station. 1 specimen; young. 



