Boone, Echinodermatg, Cruises of "Eagle" and "Ara," 1921-28 91 



Distribution : Southern Florida and throughout the West Indian 

 region to Yucatan and the Abrolhos Reefs, Brazil. A shallow water 

 and reef-d"\velling species. Virginia. (Lamarck.). 



Material, examined: Two specimens, collected on the Florida 

 Reefs, January, 1923, by the "Ara," Cat. no. 225. These appear to 

 be the first Florida record for this species, thus extending its north- 

 ern distribution. One specimen collected south of Catalina Creek, 

 Cuba, in 5 fms., February 11, 1924, Cat. no. 234. 



Color: Bright red or crimson on the abactinal surface. 

 Technical description: Regularly stellate, rays normally five, 

 somewhat angulated and moderately stout, tapered distally with a 

 blunt tip. R = 63 mm., r = 18 mm. Abactinal surface with the 

 plates covered by a tough skin and reticulated with the mamillary 

 bosses, each bearing a stout, conical, skin-encased spine. The large, 

 subcircular, papular areas, surrounded by the meshes of skin, bear 

 each several, 8 to 12, large, papular pores. On the disk the spines are 

 similar to those on the rays, where they are arranged in approximately 

 five longitudinal rows on the dorsal and lateral surfaces. The outer- 

 most of these five rows, which are like the others, may be considered 

 as superomarginals, and are separated from the inferomarginals by 

 a wide and abundantly perforated papular area. The inferomarginal 

 spines are a trifle larger than the dorsolateral spines and are well 

 separated from the adambulacral spines. The adambulacral spines 

 are two to each plate, partly webbed at the base and forming a double 

 longitudinal series, the furrow spine being a trifle stronger and bear- 

 ing on its inner side, lower down, almost in the furrow, a node, 

 scarcely to be defined as a tooth. The jaw-teeth are as figured; six 

 teeth to the jaw-plate, two webbed, on either side of the distal pair 

 which are short and blunt. 

 References: Asterias spinosa (part), Retzius, Dissert, sist. spec. cog. 



Asteriarum, p. 18, 1805. (Not Asterias spinosa Pennant, 1777.) 

 Asterias echinophora Lamarck, Anim. sans Vert., ed. I, vol. II, 



p. 560, 1816. 

 Othilia spinosa Gray, Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist., vol. VI, p. 281, 



Dec, 1840; Synopsis Starfishes, p. 12, 1866. ' 

 Echinaster spinosus Muller and Troschel (part), Syst. Ast., p. 22, 



1842 ; Lutken, Vidensk. Meddel., p. 90, 1859.— Perrier, Pedicell. 



in Ann. Sci. Nat. Zool., ser. 5, vol. XII, p. 57, 1869. 

 Echinaster (Othilia) crassispina Verrill, Trans. Conn. Acad. Arts 



and Sci., vol. I, p. 368, pi. IV, fig. 7, 1868. 



