452 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol.90 



In 1913 Verrill subdivided Asterina and resuscitated Patiria Gray 

 for the common Pacific coast Asterina miniata (Brandt) . Mortensen 

 (1933, p. 257) has ascertained that Gray's Patiria coccinea is actually 

 this P. miniata (Brandt) and has published a photograph of one of 

 the types. Even if the type should prove to be a specimen of the 

 Japanese P. pectinijera it wiU make no difference, as the two species 

 are closely related. 



I recently examined specimens of Patiria granifera Gray and 

 P. hellula Sladen from the Cape region, South Africa (pi. 70, fig. 1). 

 Both belong to Gray's Patiria (not to Parasterina) and are probably 

 two formae of the same species. Callopatiria VerriU, 1913, type 

 Patiria hellula Sladen, is a synonym of Patiria Gray. 



Now I have discovered that the alleged distinctive character of 

 Parasterina does not exist in the type species! Through the kindness 

 of Dr. H. L. Clark I have been able to study a specimen of Patiria 

 crassa from near 1^'remantle, Western Australia. This specimen has 

 R 45 mm., r 10 mm., br 11-12 mm., and the abactinal aspect re- 

 sembles superficially that of Nardoa variolata, as the convex primary 

 plates are spaced and the spinelets extremely fine, close-set, and 

 visible only under strong magnification. The species is quite unlike 

 a true Patiria but resembles Nepanthia. In fact the actinal surface 

 does not differ from that of Nepanthia (e. g., N. belcheri) in any 

 important particular. The actinal plates are covered with coordi- 

 nated groups of very numerous spinelets. There are 15-18 similar 

 subambulacral spinelets, and 8 or 9 furrow spinelets. The inner 

 longiseries of actinal plates extends to three or four inferomarginals 

 short of the end of ray; the next two series nearly as far; the fourth 

 series about three-fifths length of ray measured on side; while a fifth 

 and a sixth series constitute a small additional chevron in the inter- 

 brachial angle. 



The two series of marginal plates are quite regular, and correspond, 

 plate to plate; they are obviously larger than the adjacent abactinals 

 and actinals, which are small. 



There are two differentiated areas on the abactinal sm-face: (1) A 

 lateral triangular area reaching at interradius, one-half r toward 

 center of disk and distally nearly half length of ray; from this point 

 it extends usually as a double series of plates nearly to tip of ray. 

 The plates of this area, in regular longiseries, strongly imbricate, and 

 the upper margin is excavated to accommodate a papula (fig. 21). 

 Around this papular opening are two to four small superficial plates. 

 Nearly all the plates carry a spiniform pediceUaria. (2) The other 

 area, that of the convex primary plates, comprises the central part of 

 disk and rays. It broadens distall}^ to include most of the sides of ray 

 also (pi. 70, fig. 2). The roundish and irregular, convex, almost tuber- 



