JAPANESE ASTEROIDEA. 617 



X)lates on eacli ray are stout, ratlier rliomboidal, with the augles produced 

 and rounded and tli(^ centre tubercular ; they bear a row of eight to twelve, 

 stout, elevated, blunt spines, one to each plate. The sides of the rays near 

 the base are formed by about four series of x^lates ; in the two intermediate 

 rows rounded ; in the upper and lower ones Avitli lateral prolongations, which 

 articulate with the dorsal and marginal plates in such a way as to leave 

 ratlier large, transverse, oblong openings between ; toward the end of the 

 rays the j)lat3S become more regular and uniform, mostly j)olygoual, and 

 more closely united, except that there are still larger openings next to 

 the marginal plates, forming a regular series. Marginal j^lates stout, pro- 

 minent, projecting laterally, and rounded on the outer side, much broader 

 than high, forming a single row, with the plates placed alternately a little 

 al)0ve and beloAV the median line, about 12 to 16 on each side of the ray, 

 each one bearing a stout, elongated, conical spine. Plates of the lower side 

 rounded and subpolygonal, unequal, soma of them bearing a very small 

 central tubercle, mostly closely united, so as to leave only small pores be- 

 tween. Each interamlnilacral x^late bears an outer, stoiit, oblong, blunt spine, 

 compressed or wedge-shaped at the tip, and an inner group of four or 

 five slender ones, of which the lateral are xerj short and the two middle 

 ones considerably longest, all connected together by a thin web. On each 

 margin of the mouth there is a group of five to eight, rather slender, sub- 

 equal, obtuse spines, connected together hj a web. Near the margin of the 

 disk and rays, al)ove and below, there are many rather large pedicellariee, 

 oblong or subeylindric;il in form, obtuse at the tips. The dried specimens 

 are light red above, yellowish below. 



" The largest specimen is 1.50 inches from centre to edge of disk ; 

 2.75 to tip of rays; breadth of rays at base 1 to 1.25; length of largest 

 spines .20 to .22 ; diameter at base, about .08. 



"A smaller one has the radius of disk .68 of an inch; of rays 

 1.50 ; length of dorsal and marginal spines .10 to .12 ; diameter .05 

 or .06 ; diameter of upper and lower plates .05 to .10, mostly about 

 .08." 



Further on In th(i same paper [Yerrill, '71, ]x 594] Chpniiasteria 



