22 



opiiiuu.e. 



OI'IIIURIDJE. 



OPHIVRM. 



Grenus Ophiura. Lam. Ag. 



Generic Character. — Rays simple, squamose, prolonged into the disk superiorly, 

 and separated at their origins beneath by large shield-shaped plates. (Cirrhi 

 simple.) 



COMMON SAND-STAR. 

 Ophiura tewturata. Lam. 



Specific Character. — Pectinated scales clasping the bases of the rays with more 

 than twenty teeth. Inferior intermediate plates hollowed out at the sides. 

 Lateral ray-plates each bearing seven spines. 



Asterias Ophiura, Linn. Muller, Zool. Dan. Prod. 2fi40. 



Asterius lacertosa, Penn. Brit. Zool. IV. p. C3. 



Ophiura te.vturata, Lam. Anim. sans Vert. 1 Edit. II. p. 542; 2 Edit. III. 



p. 221. Blainv. Man. d'Actin. p. 243. Forbes, Wern. 



Trans, vol. VIII. p. 125. pi. iv. f. 3, 4. 



