SAND 11KITTLE-STAK. 



65 



OPHIVMDM. 



OP III PILE. 



SAND BRITTLE-STAR. 



Ophiocoma minuta. Forbes. 



Specific Character. — Disk flat, pentangular, covered with short, rough, trifur- 

 cated spines. Two triangular, slightly diverging scales opposite the origins of 

 each ray. Upper ray-scales triangular, imbricated. Lateral ray-plates bearing 

 three or four spines each, which are longer than the breadth of the ray. 



Oplriocoma minuta, Forbes, Wern. Trans. VIII. 



p. 127, pi. iv. f. 8. 

 Hirsuta seu stella grallatoria vel macrosceles Luidii, Link, p. 50. ? 

 Asterias minuta, Pennant, Brit. Zool. IV. p. 



63, No. 61. ? 



This is a critical species, very nearly allied to the last. 

 Though convinced of its distinctness, and though there is 

 no mistake about its habit, I find it very difficult to dis- 

 tinguish the one from the other in words. That it is not 

 the young of the rosula will at once be seen by comparing 

 it with a common Brittle-star of the same size ; for then 

 the latter will be found to have the centre of the disk as 

 yet cartilaginous, and its spines will present that peculiar 

 glistening frosted appearance seen on the spines of all 



F 



