Figure 17. — Astropectcn nitidus. A, aboral ; B, oral. 3 cm. 

 indicated. 



prominent border, without spines or spinules, 

 covered with granules. Aboral paxillar area 

 narrow, less than twice width of adjacent 

 marginals. Paxillae not very small, with 10 

 to 15 small, stellate, clavate spinules surround- 

 ing 1 to 2 central ones. Inferomarginals with 

 two long, tapered, acute marginal spines, nu- 

 merous fine, acute spinules, and two transverse 

 rows of small acute spines on underside. Rr= 

 3.7:1. Color light brown or cream, with 

 blotches of rose pink. 



Range : 



North Carolina to Florida, 50 to 225 m. In 

 North Carolina this species appears to be 

 limited to the edge of the shelf, in 145 to 

 210 m. It is apparently more abundant be- 

 tween Cape Lookout and Cape Fear than be- 

 tween Cape Lookout and Cape Hatteras. 



Astropecten nuttingi VerriU, 1915 



Description: 



Rays five, shape regularly stellate, flat and 

 thin. Epiproctal cone usually prominent. Mar- 

 ginals small, covered with tiny, fine spinules ; 

 may bear a short, tapered spine on upper side 

 of superomarginal. Inferomarginals reach to 

 adambulacrals and are covered with small 

 acute spines, with two to three long somewhat 

 compressed marginal fringe spines. Paxillae 

 small, equal, even, arranged in obliquely 

 transverse rows, with to 10 short, slender 

 spinules around crown and 1 to 2 in center 

 of crown. Adambulacrals with marginal row 

 of three slender spines, central one slightly 

 curved and compressed. Madreporite small, 

 usually concealed by paxillae. Rr=5 : 1. Color 

 reddish, with deep red median line on each 

 arm. 



Range : 



North Carolina to Florida and the Bahamas, 

 165 to 412 m. Although the least abundant of 

 the North Carolina Asfropectens, it is not un- 

 common along the 180- to 200-m. contour east 

 of Caj>e Fear. 



VALVATIDA 



None of the species in this group can be con- 

 sidered common in North Carolina. Some are taken 

 only rarely. 



Oreaster reticulatus (Linnaeus) 



Synonymy : 



Asterias retictdatus Linnaeus, 1758. 

 Oreaster reticulatus: Mueller and Troschel, 



1842. 

 Pentaceros reticulatus Agassiz, 1877. 



Desci'iption: 



Large, heavy stellate fonii, disc arched, in- 

 flated ; arms four to six (normally five) , short, 

 acute. Skeleton reticulate, plates bar-shaped, 

 with short, stout, conical spine at nodes. Mar- 

 ginals granular, covered with skin, each with 

 a large conical spine. Papular areas conspicu- 



146 



U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE 



