The Echinoderm Fauna of South Africa. 307 



cimen; "Dredged off Cape St. Blaize, N. by E. ] / 4 E., 65 miles. 

 Depth 89-90 fms." As I have never seen a specimen, and no ade- 

 quate description or figure has been published, I do not know in 

 what genus it really belongs. But it is probably not a true Asterias. 

 At one time (188*2) Bell thought it identical with gladalis, which 

 would indicate it is a Marthasterias. 



PERISSASTERIAS *, gen. nov. 



Abactinal skeleton made up of more or less cruciform plates, ar- 

 ranged in numerous (15-17) longitudinal series, united internally by 

 strong, transversely placed supplementary ossicles; the exact position 

 of these ossicles is more or less oblique and occasionally longitudinal. 

 Abactinal spines small and numerous, more or less wreathed with 

 pedicellariae or with a cluster of pedicellariae near the tip. Median 

 radial series of spines somewhat larger than the others and united 

 together in longitudinal or oblique pairs and trios. Papulae numerous 

 but none below the inferomarginals. Actinolateral plates wanting. 

 Adambulacral plates very wide and short, each with a close-set trans- 

 verse series of six, or usually seven spines; each of these spines bears 

 one or more pedicellariae at or near the tip. Major and minor pedi- 

 cellariae numerous, but small; no very large pedicellariae anywhere. 

 Pedicels in four very regular parallel series, extending nearly to ex- 

 treme tip of ray. 



This remarkable genus is sharply distinguished from the rest of the 

 family by the adambulacral armature. The absence of actinolateral 

 plates makes the actinal skeleton very simple but the excessive width 

 of the adambulacral plates provides the necessary area for the attach- 

 ment of the numerous crowded spines. 



PERISSASTERIAS POLYACANTHA **, sp. nov. 

 Plate XVIII. Fig. 3. 



R = not less than 310mm.; r unknown; 6r = 40 mm.; R = nearly 

 8 br. Disk unknown. Ray wide at base, somewhat flattened, tapering 

 steadily to the blunt tip; the ray is widest, not where it joins the 

 disk but somewhat distal to that point. Abactinal skeleton made up 

 of numerous series of plates arranged in longitudinal series of more 

 or less regularity; the median series is largest and is more elevated 



= above measure, excessive + Asterias, in reference to the excep- 

 tional development of adambulacral spines. 



** ?itoAiictxi'fl = having many thorns, in reference to the numerous adambul- 

 acral spines. 



