STARFISHES OF THE PHILIPPINE SEAS. 131 



actinnl -width of inferomarginals. The ray is slenderer in tenuis 

 and the paxillar area much narrower, the paxillae larger, the lateral 

 spines more numerous, and the actinal inferomarginal spinelets- 

 squamiform. P. muUicinctus belongs to another type, having mas- 

 sive transversely tumid superomarginals, narrow paxillar area, 

 large independent abactinal pedicellariae, larger paxillae, and num- 

 erous furrow spines. P. suluensis also has a massive margin to the 

 ray. the superomarginals, especially, being larger than in oediplaXy 

 and the side wall of ray higher. The paxillar area in suluensis is 

 narrower; and conspicuous, independent, abactinal pedicellariae are 

 present. Actinally the most noteworthy differences are the wider 

 inferomarginals and longer marginal mouth spines of suluensis, and 

 the slenderer inferomarginal spinelets and conspicuous inferomar- 

 ginal pedicellariae of oediplax. 



PERSEPHONASTER HABROGENYS Fisher. 



Plate 13, fig. 1 ; plate 28, fig. 1 ; plate 31, fig. 6 ; plate 39, figs. 2, 2a-e. 

 FersepJionaster habrogenys Fishek, 1913ffl, p. 618. 



Diagnosis. — Eesembling P. oecliplax but with still slenderer rays,, 

 smaller disk, narrower inferomarginal plates, which bear proxi- 

 mally 2 or 3 actinal spinules in addition to the 2 or 3 slender, long, 

 lateral spines; with very small actinal interradial areas, the plates 

 extending less than half the length of ray ; mouth plates small, with 

 2 series of suboral spines; adambulacral plates spaced, with 5, less 

 often 6, furrow spines. Superomarginal spines proximally 1, dis- 

 tally 2 or 3, the plates markedly convex. No superomarginal, infero- 

 marginal, or subambulacral pedicellariae. E=59 mm., r=ll mm.,. 

 R=5.3-|-r; breadth of ray at base, 11 or 12 mm. Rays slender, evenly 

 tapered, sharp; interbrachial angles abruptly rounded. 



Description. — Paxillae arranged as in oedlplax, but Avith a wider 

 radial area free from papulae. Paxillae not crowded, medium sized, 

 the largest having about 15 to 18 slender terete spinelets, often longer 

 than the pedicel, 3 to 5 occupying the center of group. Many paxillae 

 have part or all of the center of tabulum occupied by a fasciculate 

 pedicellaria with 3 or 4 jaws, and a few are lower and have only 2 

 or 3 spinelets in addition to the pedicellaria. 



Superomarginals, 35 in number, have about the same proportions 

 as in oediplax, but are a trifle less tumid, and bear on the apex of Ih© 

 plate, nearer the inner than outer edge, a sharp conical spine, larger 

 than in oediplax^ and proximally two-thirds to three-fourths length 

 of plate. Beyond the basal third of ray a second, and often a third 

 smaller spine is added to form a transverse series, which as the 

 end of the ray is approached, moves very gradually nearer the distal 

 margin of plate. General surface of plate covered with delicate 



