STARFISHES OF THE PHILIPPINE SEAS. 103 



Remarks. — This species is rehited to Ps. agassizi (Bay of Bengal, 

 888 to 930 fathoms), in so far as it comes within the restricted genus 

 Phidiaster Koehler. It differs from agassizi in having a single se- 

 ries of superomarginal spines, the inner series of agassizi being 

 absent. The snperomarginals do not encroach so conspicuously upon 

 the abactinal surface as in agassizi^ and the inferomarginals are prac- 

 ticall}^ confined to the side wall of the ray and do not, as in agassizi, 

 form a border to the actinal area. The inferomarginal spines are 

 larger, the spinelets more squamiform, there is no well-defined cen- 

 tral naked area on the inferomarginal plates, and the furrow spines 

 are more numerous in gotoi. 



This species is named for Dr. Seitaro Goto, of the Imperial Uni- 

 versity, Tokyo, author of a valuable monograph on the starfishes of 

 Japan. 



PSILASTER ROBUSTLS Fisher. 



Plate 16, figs. 4, Aa ; plate 20, fig. 1 ; plate 21, fig. 3 ; plate 30, fig. 3. 

 Psilaster robustus Fisher, 1913a. p. 610. 



Diagnosis. — Eays 5. 11=30 mm., r=9.5 mm., R=3.15 r. ; breadth 

 of ray at base, 12 mm. ; height of combined marginal plates at middle 

 of interbrachium, 6 mm. ; disk large, rays stout and short, evenly 

 tapered: superomarginal plates very massive, encroaching conspicu- 

 ously upon paxillar area, than which they are wider at middle of 

 ray; paxillae small, spaced; one series of superomarginal spines; one 

 series of lateral inferomarginal spines and an incomplete second 

 (ventral) series at base of ray; marginal plates covered with squa- 

 mules and without naked areas; furrow spines 6 to 7. Differing 

 from Ps. gotoi in liaving much more massive superomarginals, which 

 encroach more upon paxillar area, smaller paxillae, thicker terminal 

 plate, onl}^ 1 complete series of inferomarginal spines, shorter and 

 more globose suboral spines, slightly shorter adambulacral spines, 

 and a thicker, more robust form. 



DescrijHion. — Paxillar area sunken below the level of the broad, 

 tumid, superomarginal border, nearly plane except for a very promi- 

 nent epiproctal cone. Paxillae rather small and spaced so that they 

 lack the compact appearance of those of gotoi. Except for a stellate 

 area, comprising center of disk, and the basal radial portion of ray, 

 the paxillae are arranged in slightly oblique transverse series, which 

 on the ray are scarcely interrupted at the radial line and therefore 

 form complete slightly curved transverse rows, about G correspond- 

 ing to 2 superomarginals at the base of ray. The general appearance 

 of the paxillae is xavj similar to that of gotoi. the largest, in ilie 

 interradial portions of disk, having about 12 coordinated close-set 

 spinelets, a peripheral one being here and there smaller than the 

 others. Smaller paxillae at base of ray have 5 to 10 spinelets. 



