STARFISHES OP THE PHILIPPINE SEAS. 341 



tapering as regards the other dimensions to a rounded, chisel-like 

 point in the type. They vary a good deal in form. They are gener- 

 ally 4-sided, the transverse diameter being greater than the longi- 

 tudinal (as regards axis of ray). The type has proximally 7 or 8, 

 and on the outer part of the ray 6 or 7 spines forming a basally 

 webbed, palmate series with a convex distal margin. The number 

 varies to 6 or 7 and 8 or 9 spines proximally in diJfferent specimens. 

 At the adoral end of the series is a slender sessile forcipiform pedi- 

 cellaria as long or nearly as long as the adjacent adoral spine. The 

 pedicellaria viewed from the side has a lanceolate contour and its 

 form is best appreciated from the figure. In the type there are proxi- 

 mally 2 or 3 coarse, tapering, subcorneal bluntly pointed, sometimes 

 flattened spines, much heavier but shorter than the furrow spines, 

 and forming a longitudinal series. On the outer part of the ray there 

 is 1, or sometimes 2, in a transverse series, varying from blunt clavate 

 to tapering and pointed. At rare intervals a pedicellaria takes the 

 place of a spine. On the proximal half of the furrow, however, it is 

 more usual to have 1 to 3 prominent forcipiform subambulacral pedi- 

 cellariae either grouped, scattered, or forming a longitudinal series 

 with the nearly constant adoral pedicellaria near the furrow. A few 

 unequal, prominent, conical granules are present, sometimes standing 

 in line with the 1 or more pedicellariae, while the outer part of the 

 plate, as in the type, is occupied by small spaced, sometimes spinuli- 

 form, granules. 



Mouth plates convex actinally, with 14 or 15 marginal spines, the 

 inner 4 or 5 rather rapidly enlarging and becoming strongly com- 

 pressed and leaf-like. The type has 6 to 9 suboral tubercles, scat- 

 tered granules, and a pedicellaria. Most of the specimens have only 

 2 or 3 tubercles and 2 to 6 pedicellariae, in addition to spaced gran- 

 ules. The suboral armature is very variable. 



Madreporic body similar to that of granulosus^ subcircular, fairly 

 large, with dichotomously branching, radiating ridges, separated by 

 fine slightly sinuous striae. 



Anatomical notes. — The intestinal coecum is practically as in 

 A. (ynstatus. There are 5 slender, interradial bifurcate sacs, the dis- 

 tal divisions passing on either side of the membraneous interbrachial 

 septum, to which they are firmly attached. The intestine is very 

 short and slightly eccentric. The gonads are arranged in a compact 

 series of about 10 tufts on either side of and parallel to the inter- 

 brachial septum, and extending from about \ r from center to within 

 about 10 mm. of the marginal plates. 



Type.—C^t. No. 30561, U.S.N.M. 



Type-locality. — Station 5121, 9 miles southeast of Malabrigo Light, 

 east coast of Mindoro, 108 fathoms, dark green mud: 1 specimen. 

 13434— Bull. 100—19 23 



