STARFISHES OF THE PHILIPPINE SEAS. 89 



Madreporic body hemispherical, small, about its own diameter 

 distant from margin, and traversed by few course, irregular striae 

 parallel to interradial line. 



Type.— C^t. No. 30514, U.S.N.M. 



Type-locality. — Station 5424, Sulu Sea, off Cagayan Island, Caga- 

 yanes Islands, 340 fathoms, coral sand, bottom temperature 50.4° 

 F. ; 1 specimen. 



DistHhution. — Known only from the type-locality. 



Remarks. — This form seems to be most closely allied to A. tenellus, 

 which it resembles in having long rays, superomarginal spines on all 

 but the distalmost superomarginals, and rather numerous subambu- 

 lacral spines, of which 1 is enlarged. The general appearance of 

 the two species is much alike. It differs from tenellus in having 

 abundant abactinal and adambulacral pedicellariae, and pedicellariae 

 on the superomarginal and inferomarginal plates; in having smaller 

 paxillae, narrower superomarginal plates, less appressed, less flat- 

 tened, and shorter superomarginal spinelets, and longer and more 

 bristling lateral spines. In tenellus there are usually 3 of these, 

 but in pedicellari-s there are 4, except far along ray, and these 4 are 

 nearer of a size than in tenellus. The presence of numerous pedi- 

 cellariae on the adambulacrals alters the armature of those particu- 

 lar plates, but otherwise the arrangement of spines is much alike. 

 The enlarged spine is relatively a little shorter in pedicellaris. 



Pedicellar'is differs from griegl in the presence of pedicellariae, 

 which are entirely lacking in that species, and, in addition, in having 

 no spine on the distal superomarginals, and in having a compressed 

 median furrow spine. 



From eremicus^ pedicellaris differs in having longer rays, supero- 

 marginal spines and pedicellariae, only 3 furrow spines, an en- 

 larged subambulacral, more numerous lateral spines and abundant 

 inferomarginal pedicellariae. From luzonicus it differs in having 

 superomarginal spines far along ray, superomarginal pedicellariae, 

 more abundant abactinal pedicellariae, more numerous lateral spines, 

 pedicellariae on the upper end of inferomarginals, more numerous 

 superomarginal spines far along ray, superomarginal pedicellariae, 

 ppines. Luzonicus^ tenellus^ pedicellans^ and griegi are long-rayed 

 forms; eremicus has much shorter rays while retaining the same 

 general facies. It is possible that tenellus, pedicellaris, and griegi 

 are forms of the same species, as they are similar in general appear- 

 ance and in certain details, as for example in the arrangement of the 

 adambulacral spines, and the presence of an enlarged subambulacral 

 spine. Griegi, however, lacks pedicellariae, and scA'eral other differ- 

 ences have been listed above. It is not possible to solve the question 

 with the available material. 



