STARFISHES OF THE PHILIPPINE SEAS. 165 



Description. — Paxillae arranged as in L. fovficifera., there being 



3 regular series of fairly large, subqiiadrate ones, with a fourth and 

 even a fifth series of smaller paxillae distinguishable. The paxillae 

 are slightly spaced, the larger having upward of 15 to 20 peripheral, 

 slender spinelets, and 10 or 12 stouter and shorter central spinelets, 

 which are longer and less granuliform than in forficlfera. The 

 smaller paxillae vary greatly according to their position, an average 

 median paxilla having upward of 12 peripheral and T or more central 

 spinelets. The dorsal surface differs from that of L. for-ficifera 

 chiefly in the longer central spinelets of the paxillae. The dorso- 

 lateral paxillae are about intermediate betw^een the quadrate and 

 rotund forms. In a specimen from station 5158 the central spinelets 

 are little if any stouter than the peripheral. 



The tj^pe of inferomarginal armature resembles that of L. for- 

 ficlfera, but the lateral spine is longer, usually exceeding the width 

 of the plate, except at the very base of the ray where it about equals 

 the width. The spine is flattened, narrow, and pointed. Between 

 the base of the spine and the inner end of plate is a straight series of 

 about 4 (3 to 5) short, lanceolate spinules; or there may be a second 

 series of about 3 spinules adorad to the above, as in forftcifera; oc- 

 casionally the spinules form a zigzag series. A series of very deli- 

 cate spinelets fringes either transverse border of the plate, and they 

 are not swollen at the inner end of the plate as in forftcifera. The 

 marginal fascioles are fairly deep and about as wide or a little wider 

 than the thickness of the intervening ridges. 



Adambulacral armature: (1) A rather long, curved, compressed 

 furrow spine (about equaling 1.5 times the width of plate), followed 

 by a stouter, slightly longer, pointed spine, slightly curved at the 

 base. (2) Just external to this, side by side, are 2 stout unequal 

 tapering pointed spines, the aboral often the larger and usually a 

 little shorter than the foregoing. (3) These are followed by another 

 pair of smaller spines, of Avhich the aboral is usually the larger — 

 standing also in a longitudinal series with reference to ray. Beyond 

 the base of the ray these spines are usually absent. (4) On the 

 first 2 or 3 plates 1 or 2 small spinules stand behind the second 

 pair of spines. On the outer part of the ray there are present only 



4 spines, namely, the furrow, the inner subambulacral, and the first 

 pair of spines (No. 2 above). There is no subambulacral pedicel- 

 laria as in forftcifera., the adoral spine in the first pair occupying 

 its position. The second pair of spines is present in a very few 

 proximal plates in forftcifera. 



Proximally the actinal intermediate plates bear a very few deli- 

 cate, short, spinelets, which decrease to 1, and finally disappear on 

 the distal half of ray. The 2 interradial plates bear a tuft of spine- 

 lets. Two specimens without locality have two- jawed tapering pedi- 

 13434— Bull. 100—19 12 



