STARFISHES OF THE PHILIPPINE SEAS. 413 



for about half their length, the 3 or 4 median conspicuously longer 

 than the laterals, and usually 4 subambulacral spinelets, of which 

 the 2 median are much longer than the laterals. I think it is pos- 

 sible that von Martens overlooked the small lateral furrow-spinelets, 

 although not likely: but certainly in no specimens seen by me are 

 the furrow-spinelets ever subequal. 



The case is somewhat complicated by 2 specimens of a race of 

 ooronata which I saw some years ago in the British Museum. One 

 was contained in a box with Nepanthia inaculata^ labeled " Mig- 

 upou, 7 to 12 fathoms, fine sand coral — Cuming.-' The other was 

 labeled " Port Essington. Australia." In the first specimen there 

 are 20 or 25 of the prominent plates to each fifth of the body. The 

 actinal intermediate plates have, in the neighborhood of the furrow, 

 about 5 or 6 spines in a rude circle, one spine being longer than 

 the others; near the ambitus there are 3 spinelets, with often 1 or 

 2 standing niesad from the principal comb. The furrow-spinelets 

 are 5 or 6 webbed, the laterals shorter than the mesial spinelets; 

 the subambulacral spinelets are 4 or 5, shorter and stouter than 

 the furrow-spinelets, and also graduated in size, the mesial spine- 

 lets being longest. I made no notes on the Australian specimen, but 

 my impression is that it does not materially differ from the other.^ 



Thus the actinal intermediate spinelets are more numerous than 

 in the types of coronata and cristata^ while the adambulacral arma- 

 ture is about the same as that of cristata. The prominent abactinal 

 plates are fewer than in cristata^ and more like the condition in 

 Japanese specimens. 



Dr. Seitaro Goto, in his work on Japanese Asteroidea, carefully 

 figures and describes a species from the southern parts of Kyushu 

 and adjacent islands which he calls Asterina novae-zelandiae, Per- 

 rier, but which I believe is a form of coronata^ as it possesses the 

 prominent abactinal plates so characteristic of coronata. Thus 

 there are records from southern Japan to northern Australia. 



As a beginning towards straightening the tangle of apparent 

 races, I would suggest the subjoined scheme. Any further evidence 

 for or against it or in any way bearing upon the status of Asterina 

 coronata., will be most welcome: 



ffl'. Abactinal spiniform pedicellariae present; 2 adambulacral furrow spine- 

 lets; 8 or 9 marginal mouth spinelets; 12 to 14 enlarged abactinal 

 plates Asterina coronata euerces (Fisher). (Palawan.) 



a. '. No spiniform pedicellariae present ; furrow spinelets 4 to 6 ; marginal 

 mouth spinelets 5 or 6. 



* For the privilege of examining those and many other specimens of Asteroidea in the 

 British Museum (Natural History) I am indebted to Prof. F. Jeffrey Bell. 



