STARFISHES OF THE PHILIPPINE SEAS. 171 



The specimens recorded from Portuguese East Africa by Simpson 

 and Brown (1910, p. 49) as L. aspera probably belong to this species. 

 They have 7 rays. L. savignyi is not mentioned by the authors cited. 



Type-locality. — Red Sea. 



Distrihution. — Red Sea; east coast of Africa; Mauritius; Andaman 

 Islands; Sulu Archipelago; Philippine Islands. 



Specimen examined. — Station 5159, Tinakta Island, Tawi Tawi 

 Group, Sulu Archipelago, ]0 fathoms, coral sand. 



LUIDIA ASPERA Sladen. 



Liiklia fispcra SIaden, 1889, p. 248, pi. 43, figs. 1 and 2; pi. 45, figs. 9 and 10. 



The single specimen is small (R=46 mm.) and has 8 rays. Koeh- 

 Jer (1910«, p, 15) remarks that L. a^rpera is very close to L. savignyi^ 

 and that the differences between the two species concern the number 

 of inferomarginal spines, and the number of rays (7 in .sang7iyi, 8 to 

 10 in aspera). It seems to me that the two species are extremely 

 close. I regret that there is not adequate material to throw more 

 light upon their relationship. 



In the Sulu specimen the spine-bearing paxillae (irregularly dis- 

 tributed in 3 series on either side) are separated by "2 rows of plain 

 paxillae from the inferomarginal plates, except at the base of the 

 ray. where ?> are present, as in Sladen's type. There are 3 well-devel- 

 oped adambulacral spines in a transverse series, the middle the long- 

 est, followed by 1 large pedicellaria having 3 (occasionally 2) slender, 

 sometimes narrowly spatulate. jaws, over half (often three-fourths) 

 as long as the longest spine. There are commonly 3 prominent in- 

 feromarginal spines, with or without a small spine at inner end of 

 ])hite; or 2 prominent spines followed by 2 smaller spines. In the 

 type there are 1 to 6 in a transverse series. The smaller number of 

 marginal spines and the absence of a second adambulacral pedicel- 

 laria in my specimen may well be due to its immaturity. 



The record of L. aspera from Portuguese East Africa (Simpson 

 and Brown, 1910, p. 49) probably refers to L. savignyi, as mentioned 

 under that species. 



Type. — In British Museum. 



Type -locality. — Xot state<l definitely; description based on speci- 

 mens from oft' Zamboanga and Tablas Island, Philippine Islands, 

 10 to 115 fathoms, and from north of Admiralty Island, 150 fathoms. 



T>istv\})uth>n. — Philip])in(' Island.s. Admiralty Island; 9 to 150 

 fathoms, green mud. coral mud. coral. 



Specimen examined. — Station 5165, off Observation Island. Tawi 

 T:iwl rtroiip. Sulu Arcliipclago. 9 fathouis. coral. 



