STARFISHES OF THE PHILIPPINE SEAS. 143 



shallow channel between, over Avhich extend several to many small 

 terete spinelets belonging to the transverse margins of plates, and 

 not calculated in the above spine counts. 



Mouth plates prominent, densely covered with spines, increasing 

 in length toward inner end of plate, where, directed over actinostome, 

 is a cluster of teeth. Marginals 7 or 8, distaily with flat side to fur- 

 row, but at inner end of plate more knife-shaped and vrith edge 

 thereto. 



iviadreporic body exposed, medium-sized, with fine radiating striae. 

 The ridges near center bear low tubercular prominences. It is sit- 

 uated about one-third R from margin. 



Gonads disposed in independent tufts attached to the abactinal 

 integument on either side of the median radial area and extending to 

 end of ray. Ampullae strongly two-lobed. Tube feet pointed, with 

 deposits at the tip in the form of small, simple, straight, curved, or 

 irregidar rods. Superambulacral plates well developed. 



2'ype.—Cat. No. 28656, U.S.N.M. 



Type-locality.— Station 5420, between Cebu and Bohol (lat. 9° 49' 

 35'' N.; long. 123° 45' E.) ; 127 fathoms; bottom temperature, 59° F. 



Distribution. — Known only from the type-locality. 



Beviark,9. — The genera Blolrasfer, Tethyaster, /Sideriaster, and 

 Anthosticte agree in having unarmed superomarginals, inferomar- 

 ginals with a few small enlarged spines, naked madreporite, large 

 actinal interradial areas, and intermediate plates far along ray, 

 marginal and actinal fascicles, true paxillae, stellate abactinal 

 plates, an astropectinoid adambulacral armature, and probably also 

 in having the single papulae uninterrupted all over the dorsal 

 surface. The first two seem to be a little 'more closely related than 

 either is to the last two, while Sideriaster and AntJiosticfe are pos- 

 sibly also nearly related. Unfortunately there is but one species 

 in each genus, and it is difficult to ascertain what characters are 

 of generic importance. Applying the standards used in other and 

 larger genera, Anthosticte differs from Tethyaster chiefly in having 

 very deep marginal fascioles, gonads to the end of the ray, and no 

 midradial series of enlarged paxillae. Anthosticte has taller and 

 more delicate paxillae, but this may not be of generic importance. 

 Its special points of agreement in addition to the characters listed 

 above are the deposits in the tube feet (not recorded for Moiraster 

 and Sideriaster) and shallow interadambulacral fascioles and an 

 incipient odd interradial series of actinal intermediate plates, less 

 prominent and regular than in Tethyaster. 



Anthosticte differs from Sideriaster Verrill in having very deep 

 marginal fascioles, shallow interadambulacral fascioles, no distaily 

 ■enlarged subambulacral spine. Neither the deposits in the tube feet 



