2 '(2 Annals of the South African Museum. 



Papillae of marginal plates squamiform, and spinelets short and 



very flat ..... Bathybiaster robustus. 



Papillae of marginal plates not at all squamiform ; spinelets of infero- 



marginals slender and rather long . . Psilaster acuminatus. 



Marginal plates, at least inferior, oblique or nearly horizonal; vertical 



height of ray at base not remarkable. 



Large sharp spines present on superornarginals 



Astropecten polyacanthus. 

 Spines on superornarginals small or wanting. 



Small spinelets on at least some superomarginals. 



R =r 2'5 3'5r; radial paxillar areas much wider than com- 

 bined marginal plate series . Astropecten pontoporaeus. 

 R = 4 5r; radial paxUlar areas narrower than combined 

 marginal series . . . Astropeclen hemprichii. 



No superomarginal spinelets . Astropecten granulatus. 



* LEPTYCHASTER KERGUELENENSIS. 



E.A. Smith, 1876. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. (4), vol. 17, p. 110. Sladen, 

 1889. CHALLENGER Ast., pi. 31, figs. 1, 2. 



Although Bell (1905, Mar. Inv. South Africa, vol. 3, p. 242) records 

 this starfish from three stations, there are now no specimens in the 

 South African Museum, and I include it here solely on the strength 

 of Bell's identification. 



PLUTONASTER INTERMEDIUS. 



Goniopecten intermediits Perrier, 1881. Bull. M. C. Z., vol. 9, p. 25. 1884, 



BLAKE Ast. pi. 7, figs, 1, 2. 

 Pl/t'onaster intermedius Perrier, 1894. TRAV. et TAL. Ast., p. 31(3. 



Comparison of the South African specimens with others from off 

 the east coast of the United States fails to reveal any differences 

 worthy of note. The African specimens are adult, the greater radius 

 being 53-75 mm. 



P.F. 17394. Cape Point E. '/; N., 34 miles. 500-550 fms. Green 

 mud. 1 specimen; adult 



P.F. 18110. Cape Point N. E. '/* N., 46 miles. 760 fms. Green 

 mud. 1 specimen; adult. 



PLUTONASTER PROTEUS * sp. nov. 

 Plate XIII. Figs. 3-7. 



R i= 58 mm.; r = 14-5 mm. ; R = 4 r. Br = 14'5 mm. R = 4 br. 

 Disk moderately large, rather flat; rays narrow, flat, tapering, at 



* IfQMrfi'c; = Proteus, in reference to the remarkable change in appearance 

 during growth. 



