STARFISHES OF THE PHILIPPINE SEAS. 415 



Description. — ^Abactinal plates tilted obliquely as in the typical 

 form so that the papular pore is at the bottom of a funnel-shaped 

 depression, somewhat overhung on the abcentral side by a crescentic 

 group of upward of 15 or 16 slender, tapering, sharp spinelets 3 to 

 5 times as long as their width at base. Plates arranged as in typical 

 form, but with a well-developed pentagon of elevated plates in the 

 center of disk, inclosing an apical area containing about 28 small 

 plates having each 1 to 10 spinelets. On each median radial area 

 12 to 14 plates in an irregular double series (or scattered) are much 

 higher and more prominent than the others, and bear a conspicuous 

 tuft of spinelets, which increase rapidly in length toward the mid- 

 dle of the plate where there are 3 to 5 tapering sharp spines much 

 larger than the others. The spinelets of the other plates are in more 

 or less crescentic groups on the radial regions at base of ray, and 

 on disk outside of the apical area, but only a part of them are 

 so formed on the distal portion of ray. On the lateral areas of ray 

 where the plates are arranged in regular series the groups are fascic- 

 ulate, and are not crescentic except sometimes on the innermost of 

 the regular series. 



Numerous plates bear, on the concave side adjacent to a papular 

 pore, a simple pedicellaria consisting of 2 to 4 sharp spinelets slightly 

 stouter than the rest. These resemble somewhat the fasciculate 

 pedicsllariae of Pectinaster. Papular pores in about 4 regular series 

 on either side of the median radial area; over the latter they are, 

 at least proximally, arranged in quincunx but not very regularly; 

 about 5 pores can be counted across it at base of ray. 



Inferomarginal plates rather prominent, forming a narrow flange, 

 the outer end of the plates bearing a double or a triple series of 

 spinelets, or a tuft, the central being much the largest. The plates 

 are relatively more prominent than in A. cepheus. 



Actinal intermediate plates in 7 chevrons; 2 longitudinal series 

 practically reach the tip of ray, while a third very nearly reaches it ; 

 a fourth extends two-thirds the length, measured along side, and a 

 fifth about one-third. The plates bear 3 to 5 spines, webbed for 

 about half their length. When there are more than 3 they form a 

 fascicular group ; when 3 are present they form a single series. 



Furrow spines slender, scarcely tapered, 8 or occasionally 9, united 

 by membrane nearly to the tip, and forming a scoop-shaped fan. 

 The 5 central spines are of nearly equal length, and 1 aboral is only 

 about half as long, while 2 adoral spines are successively two-thirds 

 and one-third the length of the central spines. Subambulacral spines 

 6, united by membrane, the median 2 or 3 tapering, pointed, much 

 heavier than the laterals, and much stouter than the furrow spines 

 and adjacent actinal intermediate spines. Wlien expanded these 

 spines form also a scoop-shaped or concave fan lying over the fur- 



