488 s. GOTO : 



p. 83]. Heüdman r.ifers t<j Pen. nodosus in liis paarl oyster report [:03, p. 22, 

 51, 84]. 



The HEED]yiANS mention it as a distinct species from the Gidf of 

 ^Nlanaar [Herdman, Herdman and Bell, :04, p. 144] : 



" Peniaceros nodosus (Gray). 



" Sta,tion lu., off Chilaw, 12 fatlioms ; station XLII., oflf Barberyn, 40 

 fathoms ; Station LIV., south of Adam's Bridge, 4 to 40 fathoms ; Station 

 LXIV., sontli-east of Modragam Paar, 5 fatlioms." 



Yon Martens mentions P. nodosus from Rumpf's collection [:04, ßde 

 Zool. Rec.]. Herdman [:06, p. 121, 125, 447] mentions it as an enemy of 

 the pearl oyster. 



Under the name of Oreaster nodosus Clark has some important notes on 

 tlie gi-owth stages of this species [:08, p. 280 ; references to Syst. nat. ed. 

 10, p. (361 and Bell, '84] : 



" 18 specimens, Humboldt Bay, New Guinea. — 5 specimens, Sorong, New 

 Guinea. — 3 specimens, Ansus, Jappen Island, New Guinea (135*^ 44' E. x 

 1° 47' S.). — 1 specimen, Amboina. Barbour collection. 



" Tliese specimens range from 80 to 300 mm. in diameter and exhibit 

 the gi'eatest diversity in the development of the great tubercles so charac- 

 teristic of this species. In the youngest specimen there are present 15 

 tubercles, one at each radial corner of the disk and two on the ridge of each 

 ray ; those on the disk are largest and most nearly pointed, while those 

 nearest tlie tips of the rays are small and nearly spherical. In specimens a 

 trifle older there are 20 or 25 tubercles, one or two more liaving developed 

 on each ray. The pair of tubercles which are found in large specimens at 

 the proximal end oi the rays, one on each side of the ridge, are first seen 

 in an individual 1G5 mm. in diameter, but are quite small and rounded, and 

 it is onl}' in much larger specimens that they are fully developed. The 

 tubercle at the centre of the disc is present in only six specimens, and none 

 of these is under 200 mm. in diameter. In the largest individual it is want- 

 ing, but there are 72 tubercles, arranged as follows : one large one, with two 

 or even three p<jints, at each radial angle of the disk ; one ratlier small but 

 pointed one in each interradins not far from the margin, and in one inter- 



