CLARK: AUSTRALIAN AND INDO-PACIFIC ECHINODERMS. 131 



The discovery iu the M. C. Z. collection of a new ophiurau, closely related to 

 Ophiopeza aster Lyman, has served to emphasize the peculiarities of that 

 species. The two seem to form a very distinct group, the nearest ally of which 

 is probably to be found in the genus Pectiuura or possibly in the peculiar Bathy- 

 pectinura reducta. They may be distinguished from each other as follows : — 



Upper arm-plates, especially first one, much wider than long, widely 

 separated on last 12-15 arm-joints ; arm-spines 6-9, not half as long as 

 joint, blunt, upper much shorter than lowest two aster 



Upper arm-plates about as long as wide, first one nearly circular, in 

 contact to very tip of arm ; arm-spines 7, half as long as joint, sharp, 

 subequal granulifera 



Cryptopelta aster. 



Ophiopeza aster Lyman, 1879. Bull. M. C. Z., 6, p. 50, pi. 14, figs. 395-397. 1882, 

 " Challenger " Oph., p. 12, pi. 21, figs. 16-18. 



Off Cape of Good Hope, 150 fms. ; Paternoster Islands, 7 fms.; Sulu Islands, 

 9-13 fms. 



Koehler's statement (Oph. "Siboga" Litt., p. 13) that the "Challenger" 

 specimens were taken near New Guinea is an unaccountable slip, as in both of 

 Lyman's papers the station is given as 142, which was 35° 4' S. X 18°37'E. 

 Lyman says (1. c.) there are six arm-spines, but the M. C. Z. specimen has seven, 

 and Koehler (1. c.) found seven, eight, and in one specimen nine. 



Cryptopelta granulifera, sp. nov. 



(Latin granulum = a little grain +fero= bear, in reference to the unusual granula- 

 tion of the oral surface.) 



Disc pentagonal, 7 mm. in diameter, closely covered by a fine granulation, which, 

 however, is coarser and more distinct than in aster, with about 15-20 grains per 

 millimeter. Arms about 25 mm. long, a trifle more than a millimeter broad and 

 less than a millimeter high, distinctly flattened. There is no notch in the disc at 

 the base of the arm, but on the contrary the granulation of the disc conceals the 

 basal upper arm-plates. First (visible) upper arm-plate nearly circular; others 

 about as long as wide, with straight proximal, diverging lateral, and convex distal 

 margins. Interbrachial areas orally completely covered with disc granulation to 

 the very bases of the oral papillae, except that the oral shield containing the mad- 

 repore is partially bare. Oral papillae 18-22 on each jaw ; penultimate widest, 

 almost square ; proximal very acute. Teeth 3-4, narrow and very sharp. Under 

 arm-plates squarish, or further out more pentagonal, with rounded corners ; first 

 one much longer than wide and very narrow; succeeding ones broader; 7-12 

 about as wide as long. Arm-spines 7 at base of arm, subequal, acute, half as long 

 as joint. Tentacle-scale single, somewhat longer than wide, rounded. Genital 

 slits conspicuous, 2 in each interbrachial area. Color of disc very pale fawn- 

 brown, becoming yellowish below ; arms whitish, with 3-5 broad bands (includ- 



