STARFISHES OF THE PHILIPPINE SEAS. 63 



a*. No superomarginal spines. 



h\ Paxillae small, delicate; abactinal spiuiforra pedicellariae ; furrow spines 



4 or 5 ; deep water ercviicus, p. 79. 



b*. Paxillae medium or large; no abactinal paxillae; furrow spines 3. 

 c\ Rays long and narrow in the adult; R more tlian 5 r; lateral spines 2. 



eucnemis, p. 75. 

 c*. Rays stout and short, or of medium length; R less than 5 r; lateral 

 spines 1 to 3. 

 (Z\ Lateral spines 2 or 3, with sometimes actiual accessory spinules; in- 

 feromargiual spinelets not remarkably flat and spatulate ; supero- 

 marginal plates broad, with small granules granulatus, p. 73. 



d*. Lateral spine, one; inferoniarginal spinelets flat and scalelike; sub- 

 ambulacral spines very flat and broadly spatulate; superomarginal 

 plates narrower, with large gi'anules monacanthus, p. 74. 



ASTROPECTEN POLYACANTHUS Muller and Troschel. 



Astropecten polyacanthus Mulleb and Troschel, 1842, p. 69, pi. 5, fig. 3. 



Notes on Philippine specimens. — In ordor to record the more evi- 

 dent variations in the armature of the 6 specimens I have drawn up 

 a sort of synopsis or key. 



a \ Only the second superomarginal without a spine ; superomarginal spines 

 about 1.25 times height of their plate ; superomarginal series of spines proxi- 

 mally 5, then 4, and only at tip of some of the rays, 3 ; they are slender, ap- 



pressed and very sharp Catbalogan, Samar (1). 



'. The second and third, rarely the fourth, superomarginal without a spine ; 

 superomarginal spines proximally 2 to 2.5 times height of their plate. 

 b \ Inferomarginal spines 4, narrow, slightly flattened, bristling. All ac- 

 tinal .spinelets relatively longer and stouter than in b^ and a^; supero- 

 marginal and lateral spines unusually stout, the former the more robust. 



Station 5165 (1). 

 b *. Inferomarginal spines 3, the third situated at or near inner end of plate, 

 spaced from the other 2. 



c*. Superomarginal spines stout and long, proximally 2 to 2.5 times height 

 of their plate; superomarginal plates higher than long on proximal half 

 of ray ; inferomarginal spines narrow, slightly flattened, sharp ; paxillar 

 area wider (opposite fourth plate equal to length of 3.5 to 4 succeeding 



superomarginals) Station 5165 (1) ; Usada Island (1). 



c '. Superomarginal spines slenderer, and variable in length proximally ; 

 superomarginal plates (except the first 2 or 3) longer than high; outer 

 Inferomarginal spine conspicuously longer than the rest, flat, broader 

 toward tip than at base, narrowing abruptly to a sharp point (rarely- 

 bifid) ; paxillar area narrow (opposite fourth superomarginal equal to 

 length of 1.5 to 2.5 succeeding plates) ; the smaller inferomarginal spines 

 are rather more delicate than in the preceding variety. This variety 

 seems to be similar to a specimen mentioned by Shiden (1SS9. p. 2U1) 

 from the Admiralty Islands Stations 5159 (1) and 5174 (1). 



In the last variety the flattened leaflike, sharp lateral spines and 

 narrow paxillar area produce a combination of characters which 

 alters the general facies very markedly. "VVhen a sufficient number 

 of specimens from many localities are examined by one person this 



f 



