STARFISHES OF THE PHILIPPINE SEAS. 135 



spine, which always keeps on the well-rounded margin between the 

 2 facets, gradually becomes horizontal and has the appearance of 

 being a lateral spine. There is no abrupt fasciolar channel between 

 the plates, the surface sloping upward from either transverse suture 

 to the median line and the spine is on this ridge, which, however, is 

 slight on the outer third of ray. The spine is tin}'' or wanting on 

 the last 8 or 10 plates. The longest spines, in the median third of 

 ray, are about as long as the plate, and the plates themselves are 

 nearly square, except at the base and end of ray, where the trans- 

 verse dimension is the greater. The surface of plate is covered 

 with spaced delicate spinelets fairl}^ capillary around the edges and 

 a little shorter and more clavate in the middle. Terminal plate 

 rather stout with a tuft of 10 or 11 sharp spinules in 2 semicircular 

 series at the end. 



Inferomarginal plates rather small, the proximal being a trifle 

 wider than the corresponding superomarginals, the rest of about 

 the same width and length. All except the distal plates are mark- 

 edly tumid, the ridge of the superomarginals being continued across 

 the lower series, and the ventral margin of the ray is so evenly 

 rounded that the plate is regularly curved from the inner to the 

 outer edge, there being in consequence an exceptionally narrow 

 actinal face when the specimen is viewed from below. The arma- 

 ture is of the type of P. croceus and quite distinct from that of the 

 foregoing species. Just below the outer or upper edge of the plate 

 is a horizontal, erect, conical spine a little smaller than the corre- 

 sponding superomarginal. Below this, and forming with it a slightly 

 oblique transverse comb, are 2 (sometimes 3 and distally only 1) 

 slender, appressed, slightly flattened, sharp spines, the upper about 

 as long as width of plate. The erect conical spine is often miss- 

 ing, there being no regularity in this respect, and on the outer part 

 of the ray it is regularly lacking. When lacking on the proximal 

 part of the ray its place is sometimes, but not always, taken by an 

 extra appressed spine. The plate is covered with delicate spinelets 

 similar to those of the superomarginals but a little longer on the 

 ventral end. 



Actinal interradial areas small, the interradial diameter slightly 

 exceeding that of the mouth plates. Intermediate; plates extending in 

 a single series to the eighth inferomarginal (a little over a third of 

 ray) and in 2 series to the fourth inferomarginal. Five plates be- 

 tween the first inferomarginal and mouth plate. Plates covered with 

 spaced delicate spinelets; several plates in each angle also with a 

 central slender, much longer, pointed appressed spinule. 



Furrow spines 8 (occasionally 7 or 9), long, slender, slightly com- 

 pressed and pointed, in a regular comb with a nearly straight distal 

 margin. The spines are about as long as width of plate at base of 



