STARFISHES OF THE PHILIPPINE SEAS. 77 



slightly longer and stouter and the inner spine of each series is some- 

 times enlarged (as in type) forming 2 tiers of teeth (3 to a plate) at 

 the inner angle. 



Actinal intermediate plates 2 to 4, typically with a group of spine- 

 lets, the central ones sometimes coordinated to form a pedicellarian 

 apparatus. 



Madreporic body oval, medium sized, obscured by paxillae, some of 

 which arise from its surface. It is situated less than its own dia- 

 meter from marginal plates. 



Color in alcohol, sepia. 



Variations and young. — A well-marked variety probably from 

 station 5134, 25 fathoms, perhaps deserve a name. It differs from 

 the typical form in having coarser, more squamiform and blunter 

 inferomarginal spinelets, 2 marginal spines, without a third smaller 

 one directly below and frequently only 1 spine on the actinal sur- 

 face of plate. As a result the inferomarginals appear less spiny. 

 The first superomarginals have a small tubercular or clavate spine at 

 the upper end, and the second and third plates show an incipient one. 

 The rays are very long, but all are incomplete. The proportions 

 would probably be: R=about 8 r. 



Twenty-nine small specimens ranging in size from R=9.5 mm. to 

 R=19 mm., all from station 5182, seem to be a small variety of this 

 species, although at first they appear to be quite distinct. Coming 

 from shallow water they resemble more closely the aberrant example 

 from station 5134, but have much shorter rays. These small exam- 

 ples recall both Astropecte7i zebra and A. granulatiis^ but the distin- 

 guishing marks are given below. 



The largest specimens have R=19 mm., r=5 mm., R=:3.8 r ; breadth 

 of ray at base, 5 to 6 mm. ; rays tapering evenly to pointed extremity ; 

 superomarginals about 20 to 24, forming a rounded bevel to margin, 

 and not encroaching upon paxillar area farther than in adult. Six- 

 teen specimens, ranging in size from R=9.5 mm. to R=19 mm. have 

 no sign of special superomarginal spines ; 6 specimens varying from 

 R, 17 to 19 mm., have a small tubercle on some but not all of the first 

 superomarginal plates ; 1 or 2 have tubercles on the second plates in 

 1 interbrachium; 7 examples of the same size have 2, 3, or 4 (more 

 often only 2) short tubercular superomarginal spines in each inte- 

 brachium. The specimens with R over 17 mm. have gonads fairly 

 well developed. The inferomarginal armature consists of 1 marginal 

 spine and a shorter companion, and a few specimens show the rudi- 

 ments of the actinal spines. The armature is similar to Sladen's 

 figure of A. granulatvs but the spinelets are slightly less squamiform. 

 Ten out of the 13 specimens with superomarginal spines have 2 pecti- 

 nate actinal intermediate pedicellariae, just back of the mouth plates. 



