STAEFISHES OP THE PHILIPPINE SEAS. 293 



The pedicellariae are so numerous as to closely dot the surface, the 

 plates being rather small, 4-sidcd (sometimes 5 or 6 near margin), 

 those nearest furrow rectangular and largest, the rest gradually de- 

 creasing in size and changing to lozenge-shape, or lozenge-shape 

 with 2 corners cut off (6-sided). There are about 12 chevrons of 

 them. 



Adambulacral plates wider than long, close-set. Furrow spines 

 5 or 6, stout, blunt, 4-sided, or compressed and 3-sided, sube(]ual, 

 sometimes placed slightly obliquely, so that the aboral end of the 

 close comb overlaps the adoral end of the succeeding comb. The 

 spines are as long or slightly longer than the plate, and the armature 

 of the actinal surface is graduated in size from the furrow spines 

 gradually into that of the intermediate plates. First there are 2 

 arcuate series, each of 4 or 5 prismatic or 4-sided spines, heavier but 

 shorter than the furrow spines, and on the outer part of plate 12 to 

 15 rather crowded granules in 2 irregular series. Near the end of 

 ray one of the spines of the first actinal series is enlarged into a 

 clavate or acorn-shaped tubercle, and here also the plates may bear 

 a 2-jawed spatulate pedicellaria, but they are not numerous. A 

 very few of the proximal plates may also bear a 2-jawed pedicellaria. 



Mouth plates fiat, with very regular, straight furrow margin, the 

 5 pairs of mouth plates completely closing actinostome. Furrow 

 spines 9 to 11, truncate, 4-sided, the innermost much compressed and 

 bladelike. The end of the spines has 1 or more tiny granuliform 

 eminences. Parallel to furrow are 2 series, each of 6 or 7 stout 

 truncate 4-sided or prismatic spines, and on the outer |)art of plate 

 18 to 20 granules in about 3 interradially directed series. 



Madreporic body large, flat, about twice the diameter of a basal 

 plate, and with very fine, numerous, radiating striae; situated one- 

 third distance from center to inner edge of marginal plates. 



The gonads form 2 or 3 tufts on either side of the interbrachial 

 septum and parallel to it. Hepatic coeca large, extending half the 

 length of ray; Polian vesicles large. 



One of the rays has been injured at the tip, and now has 2 tips 

 with the bud of a third. 



Type.— Cat. No. 30552, U.S.N.M. 



Type-locality. — Station 5279, between Lubang and Luzon, south- 

 west of Manila Bay, 117 fathoms, green mud. 



Distribution. — Known only from the type-locality. 



Remarks. — This species differs from P. nidarosiensis (Storm) ^ in 

 having the abactinal plates perfectly distinct, though closely granu- 

 lated, very many more granules to a plate, very numerous abactinal 

 pedicellariae, more tumid and longer proximal superomarginal 



^ Grieg, Gonlaster nidarosiensis, Storm og dens synonymer. Bergens Museums Aarbog, 

 1905. No. 3, p. 10. 



13434— Bull. 100—19 20 



