294 Annals of the South African Museum. 



are sufficiently clothed with skin to be called saccate. Oral plates 

 flat, very small, each with four subequal spines (about 1-5-2 mm. 

 long) on the free margin; occasionally a similar spine occurs on the 

 surface of the plate. Pedicels in two series in each furrow. Ampullae 

 large but single. Color (in alcohol) light brown, with a reddish- 

 tinge orally; in life brilliant scarlet. 



P.F. 18771. St. Croix Island, Algoa Bay, N.W. 3 / 4 W., 8 miles. 

 26 fms. M. 1 specimen; adult? 



P.F. 19055. Nanquas Peak, Algoa Bay, N. by E., 11 miles. 57 fms. 

 M. 1 specimen; adult, 



Holotype, South African Museum no. A 6412; P.F. 19055. 



One ray of the holotype shows a curious malformation, due to the 

 forking of the ambulacrum about 12 mm. from the tip. This is 

 obvious in the figure. 



The specimen from 18771 is remarkable for the extreme contraction 

 of the dorsal body wall, which is evidently very muscular. The rays 

 are drawn up into an almost vertical position, so that, although each 

 ambulacral furrow is 38 mm. long, the disk is only 23 mm. across, 

 and from the tip of one ray to that of the next-but-one is at most 

 only 32 mm. In all essentials of structure however this specimen 

 agrees very closely with the holotype. 



This remarkable starfish is readily distinguished from the other 

 two members of the genus by the very short rays and the adam- 

 bulacral armature. All three species are mud dwellers in shallow 

 water but the occurrence of what was supposed to be a distinctly 

 Antarctic genus in Algoa Bay is certainly of unusual interest. The 

 two Antarctic species are much larger than the African and their 

 longer rays give them quite a different appearance. 



SOLASTERIDAE. 



This family is best represented in the colder waters of the northern 

 hemisphere. Only one species is recorded from the South African 

 region. That and an undescribed species of Lophaster are in the 

 PIETER FAURE collection. They may be distinguished from each other 

 easily by the number of rays. There is also in the collection a dried, 

 9-rayed specimen of Solaster endeca with the label: " ? Palmipes novem- 

 radiatus J. Bell. Loc. ? No number. (P.F. coll.)". It is highly im- 

 probable that this particular specimen was ever taken by the PIETER 

 FAURE. The species might occur in South African waters but it is 

 not ' known south of the equator. * 



* This specimen is undoubtedly South African, it being labelled as a duplicate 

 of specimens sent to Prof. Bell [Ed.]. 



