72 



BULLETIN 100^ UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



Color in alcohol, yellowish with a broad transverse band of faded 

 brown at middle of ray. 



Type. — Museum Berlin, No. 1504. 



Type-locality. — South China Sea. 



Distribution. — Formosa to Ceylon, northwest Australia, and Ad- 

 miralty Islands. The Philippine stations are consequently within 

 this area. The specimens recorded by me from the Hawaiian Islands 

 are not velitaris. (See under Remarks.) 



Specimens examined. — Seventy-five. 



Specimens of Astropecten velitaris examined. 



Remarks. — The specimens described above appear to belong to 

 the same species as that figured by Doderlein (1896, pi. 18, figs. 32, 

 32a) from Amboina. Doderlein'g largest example was only half the 

 size of mine. The Philippine specimens are perfectly distinct from 

 A. hempi'ichii^ and whatever the relations may be with that species, 

 it is certain that velitaris is not merely a young phase, for several of 

 the larger specimens examined proved to be sexually mature. Koeh- 

 ler (1910a, p. 46) quotes Marenzeller's opinion that velitaris is a 

 young form. 



Koehler (1910r/, p. 44) is correct in questioning my Hawaiian rec- 

 ord of velitaris. The form described by me and recorded as A. veli- 

 taris is distinct and ditfers from true velitaris in having short tu- 

 bercular spines on the distal superomarginals, spaced from the inner 

 edge of plate, in addition to the much more conspicuous spine of the 

 first superomarginal of each ray. The superomarginals are fewer 

 and a little more massive, the prtxillae relatively smaller, the infero- 

 marginal spines fewer and in a single transverse series, the 2 outer 

 to be classified as lateral spines; the spinelets are squamiform, as 

 in zehra., and there is commonly but one series of subambulacral 

 spines, 3 to a series, the aboral member enlarged. The mouth 

 plates are slightly broader than in velitaris and the marginal series 

 of spines extends farther toward the outer end of plate. The first 

 adambulacral is not so much compressed. 



The Hawaiian species differs from A. Jiemprichii in having a con- 

 spicuous spine on the first marginal plate, and a different inferomar- 



