STARFISHES OF THE PHILIPPINE SEAS. H^ 



Type.— Csit. No. 30504, U.S.N.M. 



Type-locality. — Unknown. 



Remarks. — It is unfortunate that this new form should be without 

 locality It differs from S. vaneyi in lacking abactinal spinelets, in 

 having 5 instead of 7 terminal spines, in the spinulation of the 

 actinal interradial areas, and in having constantly 4 (instead of 2, 

 3, or rarely 4) mouth spines. It differs from jS. hatheri in lacking 

 abactinal spinelets, and in having 5 instead of 7 terminal spines. 



Genus BENTHOGENIA Fisher. 



Benthogenia Fisher, 1911c, p. 415. Type, B. crihcUosa Fisher. 



Diagnosis. — Related to Hyphalaster Sladen and Thoracaster Sla- 

 den, but differing in having cribriform organs between all the mar- 

 ginals, in having the dorsal surface of distal half of ray one continu- 

 ous cribriform organ, and in having the cribriform organs of inter- 

 brachium merged into one. Distal superomarginals spiniferous; ter- 

 minal plate large, spiniferous, dorsal in position. No odd interradial 

 marginal. Superomarginals increasing in size very gradually to the 

 sixth, which is considerably larger than the rest and meets its fellow 

 in median line of ray ; beyond this point all superomarginals in con- 

 tact. Cribriform organs 29 or 30, the distal ones rudimentary and the 



11 of the interbrachium merged into one (as far as middle of sixth 

 superomarginal) ; structure papilliform. Adambulacral plates with a 

 numerous furrow series and numerous smaller spinelets on surface. 

 Actinal interradial areas extensive, covered with small spaced spine- 

 lets. Intermediate plates extend nearly to end of ray. Abactinal 

 paxillae large, crowded. 



BENTHOGENIA CRIBELLOSA Fisher. 



Plate 1, fig. 1 ; plate 2, fig. 1 ; plate 8, figs. 2, 2a-d. 

 Benthogenia cribellosa Fisher, 1911, p. 415. 



Description. — Rays 5. R=78 mm., r=about 30 mm., R=about 

 2.6 r; breadth of ray at base, about 34 mm., at sixth superomarginal, 



12 mm. Over half of ray formed by superomarginals which meet in 

 median line. Superomarginals massive, increasing in size from the 

 first to sixth, which is decidedly larger than the rest and meets its 

 fellow on dorsal median line; next 6 plates decreasing slightly in 

 width, but increasing in height as far as terminal plate. Each is 

 higher than wide, and bears on the rounded dorsolateral angle a 

 stubby conical spine ; final 3 or 4 plates decreasing rapidly in size and 

 covered by the big, elliptical, very convex spiniferous terminal plate, 

 margined by a fimbriate channel. Inferomarginals lower than su- 

 peromarginals and beyond the sixth plate not corresponding to them, 



