Ksterias endeca. 299 



Hab. — The British shore, in deep water. Leith shore. 

 Dr. Coldstream. Not uncommon in Berwick Bay. 



The extreme diameter of this pretty species is 3|- in., the 

 disk being about 1 in., and the length of the rays ljin. It 

 is regularly stellate, flattened on the dorsal aspect, which is 

 of a livid purplish colour, and covered with closely set, even, 

 minute tubercles, while a row of much larger ones runs along 

 the margins of the rays, in the manner of a neat beading. 

 The tubercles are crowned with very short papillae, and the 

 marginal ones are rough or granular, having a resemblance 

 to the surface of a strawberry. The centre of the back is 

 usually umbonate; and the operculum, placed at a side, is 

 striated with impressed lines. Rays lanceolate, rigid; the tips 

 violet-coloured and spinous ; beneath armed with numerous 

 smooth, flattened, osseous spines, placed in transverse series. 

 Under surface straw-coloured. Tentacula biserial. 



To judge from the description, I should say that this is 

 identical with the ksterias irregularis of Pennant; but Dr. 

 Fleming gives the latter as a distinct species. It may be 

 remarked, however, that the figure of Link, which Pennant 

 and Fleming refer to, is quoted by Linnaeus and Lamarck 

 amongst their references to the species before me. Lamarck 

 has quoted all the figures in plates 110. and 111. of the 

 Encyclopedic Methodique as representative of it; but those 

 enumerated among my synonymes are all that I can refer to 

 with any confidence. In these there are represented spines 

 placed on the marginal tubercles, which are rarely seen, even 

 in living specimens, and which are always few in number, 

 and remarkably caducous. 



^STE V RIAS e'nDECA. (fig. 44.) 



A. endeca. Rays nine, bulging at the base, equal to the 

 diameter of the disk, which is rough and granulated ; granules 

 papuliferous, reticularly disposed, the skin punctured in the 

 interstices. 



ksterias Endeca Turt. y Gmel., iv. 131.; Lam. Anim. s. Vert., ii. 560.; 

 Sowerby Brit. Misc., p. 49. pi. 24.; Penn. Brit. Zool., iv. 134. ; Flem. 

 Brit. Anim., 487.; Encycloped. Method., tab. 113. fig. 3., tab. 114. 

 fig. 1., tab. 115 (good), and tab. 1 16. fig. I. 



Hab. — In deep water, on the Scottish coast: common. 



This species attains a size 9 in. across, the diameter of the 

 disk being equal to the length of a ray. The colour varies 

 from a light purple to an orange and yellowish red ; but some 

 purple is almost always present in the form of lines radiating 

 from the centre. The upper surface is slightly convex, the 

 skin tough and loose, roughened with equal minute tubercles 



z 2 



