35 



Comaster L. Agassiz. 



Key to the Species of the Genus Comaster. 

 a 1 Cirri absent 



b 1 IIIBr series on the outer side of each IIBr series 2, those on the 

 inner side benig 4(3 + 4); more than 60 (usually more than 100) 



arms (northern Australia) belli 



b 2 IIIBr series all 2(1 + 2) 01* 2 



c 1 80 or more arms over 80 mm. (usually over 100 mm.) long 

 (northern Australia to Fiji, the Gilbert [Kingsmill] 

 I s 1 a n d s , the Philippinesand Singapore) . . . . novaeguineae l ) 

 c 2 less than 80 arms 



d' 45 — 80 (usually 50 — 60) arms (Pul o Edam, China 



Sea, to Singapore) gracilis 



d 2 not more than 45 arms 



e 1 IIIBr series developed only on the outer side of each 

 IIBr series; IVBr series .developed only on the inner 

 side of each IIIBr series; rather stout (northern 



Australia) multifida 2 ) 



e 2 IIIBr series developed on both the inner and outer 

 side of each IIBr series; IVBr series rarely present; 

 very slender and delicate (R o 1 1 i , the Philip- 



pine and Paternoster Islands) minimus 



a 2 Cirri present 



b 1 usually between 100 and 150 arms 



c 1 IIIBr series on the outer side of each IIBr series 2, those on 

 the inner side being 4 (3 + 4); cirri large and stout with 

 17 — 18 segments, but more or less deficiënt, only very 

 exceptionally being developed all around the periphery of 



the centrodorsal (northern Australia) bclli 



c 2 IIIBr series all 2 (1 + 2) like the following series; cirri large 

 and well developed, numerous, with 13 — 16 segments, evenly 

 distributed all around the periphery of the centrodorsal (Les- 

 s e r Sunda Islands and Moluccas t o the Philip- 



pine Islands) multibrachiata 



b 2 not more than 65 arms 

 c 1 45 — 63 arms 



cl 1 usually about 60 (37 — 63) arms 90 mm. to 150 mm. 

 long; all the IIIBr series developed; no interradial plating; 



1) Synonyms: Phanogenia lypica Loven and Actinometra stcllata Lütken. 



2) Synonym : Actinometra variabilis Bell. 



