REPOET ON THE ASTEROEDEA. 453 



rays, and especially on the outer half of the ray, where a transversely lineal disposition 

 may be more or less clearly observed. 



The supero-inargiual plates are very small, only slightly larger than the neighbouring 

 paxillse of the abactinal area ; and they alternate with the plates of the iufero-marginal 

 series. The infero-marginal plates are large, resembling massive paxilla), the pedicle 

 of which is metamorphosed into a broad compressed ridge, on which is borne a great 

 number (forty to fifty) of short, robust, skin-covered spinelets. The infero-marginal 

 paxillae are tolerably well spaced, except in the interbrachial arc ; and from fifty-eight 

 to sixty-two may be counted between the median interradial line and the extremity. In 

 the interbrachial arc and along the inner half of the ray, the infero-marginal paxillae are 

 entirely on the actinal surface, and they form a very conspicuous margin to the actinal 

 interradial areas of the disk, some distance removed from the actual margin, as defined 

 by the tumidity of the lateral wall of the rays. 



The adambulacral plates are broad, and their armature consists of two series of spines. 

 (1.) A furrow series of short, skin-covered, cylindrical, obtusely-tipped spinelets, five in 

 number near the mouth, but four along the greater part of the ray, which become reduced 

 to three on the outer third, and finally to two nearer the extremity. (2.) On the actinal 

 surface of the plate is a transverse lineal series of five (occasionally four) large, robust, 

 slightly tapering, but obtusely pointed, skin-covered spinelets, the innermost one of the 

 series being placed out of the line and more aborally than the others. These spinelets 

 decrease in number and size as they approach the extremity of the ray. 



The mouth -plates are narrow and comparatively small for the size of the starfish. 

 Their armature consists of a marginal series of about ten spinelets on each plate, the 

 innermost two or perhaps three being longer than the rest, and there is a general decrease 

 in size as they recede from the mouth. All are skin-covered, but no membranous web is 

 developed. On the actinal surface of each plate is a lineal series of five large, robust, 

 tapering, skin-covered spinelets, placed rather far back on the plate. 



The actinal interradial areas are large and occupied by numerous intermediate plates, 

 in which an indistinct arrangement parallel to the adambulacral plates may be made out. 

 The intermediate plates bear tufts of four or five, and occasionally more, short, robust, taper- 

 ing, skin-covered spines, which give a decidedly spinose character to the interradial areas. 



The madreporiform body is hidden by paxillae, and I have failed to detect its presence 

 in the type specimen. 



The ambulacral tube-feet have a large fleshy terminal disk. 



Colour in alcohol, a dirty light brown. The ambulacral tube-feet and the buccal 

 membrane are a dark purplish lead colour. 



Locality.— Station 232. South of Yeddo, Japan. May 12, 1875. Lat. 35° 11' 0" 

 N., long. 139° 28' 0" E. Depth 345 fathoms. Green mud. Bottom temperature 41°-1 

 Fahr. ; surface temperature G4 0- 2 Fahr. 



