STARFISHES OF THE PHILIPPINE SEAS. 227 



Inferomarginals much wider than long, and corresponding to the 

 suj^eromarginals, covered with simihir granules, a little smaller and 

 more numerous actinally. No specialized spines. 



Actinal intermediate areas small, the plates in series extending 

 from adambulacrals to the inferomarginals, and less regularly in 

 series parallel to the furrow; that adjacent to the adambulacrals end- 

 ing opposite the suture between the third and fourth inf eromarginal ; 

 the next series ending between the second and third. There are 5 

 chevrons altogether, with the beginning of a sixth, but no odd inter- 

 radial plates in any of the chevrons. Plates with a uniform covering 

 of granules similar to those of the inferomarginals, but not quite SjO 

 close together. 



Adambulacral plates about as wide as long, except the first 2 or 3, 

 which are wider than long. Furrow margin only slightl}^ convex 

 proximall}^, gradually becoming decidedly convex pn the outer half 

 of the ray. Furrow spines, 7 to 9, usually 8, about half as long as 

 width of plate, subequal, compressed, blunt, the laterals the heavier, 

 and with the side to furrow ; the central spines are 4-sided in section, 

 the narrow sides exposed. Subambulacral granules polygonal, in 

 3 or 4 longitudinal series, the granules increasing in length slightly 

 toward the furrow, and with flat or convex tips. There are 12 to 

 14 subambulacral granules and they are very similar in form to the 

 adjacent actinal intermediate or inferomarginal granules. No en- 

 larged or specialized subambulacral spines are present, but the last 

 dozen plates have the last or next to the last of the 5 or 6 furrow 

 spinelets enlarged into a short clavate spinule, following a tendency 

 which is usually exhibited by the subambulacral spines or granules of 

 the Goniasteridae — namely, of having an enlarged subambulacral 

 spine on the outer part of the ray even if none are present proximally. 



jMouth plates narrow, with a pointed, clavate, robust, median, un- 

 paired tooth, and on either side 2 successively shorter spines. Fol- 

 lowing these, facing the furrow rather than the actinostome, is an 

 independent series of 5 slender, slightly flattened, subtruncate spines, 

 increasing in length and appressed against the suboral spines. A 

 series of 8 or 9 of the latter follow the median suture margin, the 

 outer 4 or 5 granuliform, wdiile the furrow series is continued along 

 the lateral suture by 4 or 5 granules, 2 or 3 slender spinules forming 

 un intermediate series at the middle of the plate. 



Type.—Cat. N.o. 30535, U.S.N.M. 



Type-locality.— Stntion 5648, Buton Strait, Celebes (lat. 5° 35' S.; 

 long. 122° 20' E.), 559 fathoms, green mud, bottom temperature 

 39.2° ; 1 specimen. 



Remarks. — This species differs from Aphroditaster gracilis Sladen 

 (Azores, 1,000 fathoms), in having larger, fewer, and more compact 

 abactinal granules, polygonal in form; shorter marginal j)lates armed 



