STARFISHES OF THE PHILIPPINE SEAS. 81 



margin, which bears (instead of the usual number of 3) 4 or 5 long, 

 slender, tapering, pointed, membrane-invested spines, that on the 

 apex of the angle the longest and a trifle flattened. The subambu- 

 lacral spines are slightl}'' shorter, and although the calcareous por- 

 tion is slender and needlelike, the light brown pulpy, translucent 

 investment is swollen (as in all the other actinal spinelets), so that 

 the spinelets appear to be stout clavate, and pointed. There are 

 usually about 5 (as many as 7) in 2 longitudinal series, or less often 

 irregularly placed. A variable number of plates (for instance 5 to 

 7 on either side of a furrow) bear a conspicuous conical pedicellaria 

 with 4 to 6 lanceolate spiniform jaws, very much stouter, but shorter, 

 than the subambulacral spines, which the pedicellaria partly or 

 wholly replaces on its particular plate. These pedicellariae are simi- 

 lar to those on the paxillar area. The first adambulacral is con- 

 siderably compressed and often bears a pedicellaria. 



Actinal intermediate plates very few (about 6) their 5 or 6 spine- 

 lets coordinated to form a pedicellarian apparatus similar to those of 

 the adambulacral plates. Occasionally the spinelets are not quite so 

 specialized, as if in a transition stage from a low paxilla to a 

 pedicellaria. 



The combined mouth plates narrow, but 4 enlarged teeth at 

 inner angle (the 2 median the longer), and 3 or 4 spines of 

 about the same size at the outer angle of each plate. Between the 

 two groups, the plates are covered with smaller spinelets, the super- 

 ficial the largest, those toward edge decreasing in size. On either 

 side of the median suture on some plates these spinelets are arranged 

 in a fairly regular series, with about 2 additional irregular series 

 toward the margin. The true marginal spinelets are small, save for 

 the teeth, and form an angular series, with the angle at the inner end 

 of the plate near the teeth. The armature of the mouth plates is 

 rather confused and irregular. The enlarged outer superficial spines 

 are characteristic. 



Madreporic body small and partly or wholly hidden by paxillae. 

 It is situated close to the superomarginal plates, 'sometimes nearly 

 touching them, sometimes its own diameter distant. The striae are 

 few, coarse, and are nearly parallel with interradial line. 



The general color is a light brown, darkest on the actinal surface, 

 or a washed-out yellow ochre. In the darker specimens the color is 

 lodged in the epidermis investing the spinelets. 



Type.—C?it. No. 30511, U.S.N.M. 



Type-locality. — Station 5491, Surigao Sea, between Leyte and 

 Mindanao, 736 fathoms, green mud and coral. 



Distribution. — Off southern Luzon to Surigao Sea, between Leyte 

 and Mindanao, 530 to 736 fathoms. 



