STARFISHES OF THE PHILIPPINE SEAS. 381 



&. Abcictinul plates small, numerous, irregular, scarcelj' at all convex, 

 subequal to or slightly larger than the papular areas and 10 to 13 

 or even more between ihe superomarginals, counting across ray at 

 base; abactinal granules increasing slightly in size toward center of 

 plates, where they are about twice as l>road as in the intervals be- 

 tween. 

 d\ Abactinal plates larger, 9 to 11 across ray at base, those of the 

 distal third smaller and more crowded than over rest of ray, form- 

 ing thus a rather definite distal area distinguishable from the prox- 

 imal two-thirds; a definite series of papular areas between the 

 inferomarginals and the actinal intermediate plates (of which there 

 is a single series extending to end of ray). 



mollis ^ de Loriol (pi. 108, fig. 1). 

 d'. Abactinal plates smaller, the smallest of any known species, at least 

 12 or 13 across ray at the base, those of distal third or fourth 

 small and crowded, but the area not differentiated at all conspic- 

 uously from the rest of the abactinal surface ; lateral abactinal 

 plates abruptly much smaller than the regular superomarginals 

 which are thus very conspicuous, a series of fairly large intermar- 

 ginal papular areas but no series of actinal intermediate papulae, 

 although 1 to a very few areas sometimes occur sporadically at 

 base of the ray ; a single series of actinal intermediate plates 

 extending to the end of the ray; adarabulacral armature: 3 (or 4), 

 3, 3 pauciforis'^ (von Martens), pi. 108, fig. 3. 



shorter and less attenuate at the extremity ; the abactinal plates are slightly more con- 

 vex, and the granules are abruptly larger than those of the papular areas and interspaces 

 between the plates — about 4 or 5 times greater. In novae-caledoniae the granules of 

 the convexity of the plates are actually smaller by direct comparison (about one-half to 

 two-thirds as broad) and they grade more gradually into the small granules. In novae- 

 caledoniae the length of the ray is variable, among the British Museum specimens at least. 



1 See de Loriol, 1891, p. 26, pi. 3, fig. 4 ; New Britain. The specimen figured (pi. 108, 

 fig. 1) was collected by Dr. H. L. Clark on Mer (Murray) Island, Torres Strait. 



* Probably identical with pauciforis is Nardoa finschi de Loriol, 1891 (p. 28, pi. 2, 

 fig. 4, 4ar-g). De Loriol compares his new species with N. mollis and N. novae-caledoniae. 

 He says : " Dans le Nardoa Novae Caledoniae Perrier, les ossicules sont plus sailliants, 

 plus d6velopp&, plus serres, les deux series de chaque cote de la face ventralo sont moins 

 differentes de taille, les aires porifSres sont bien plus petites relativement aux ossicles, 

 le disque est plus grand avec un plus grand nombre de plaques intercal^es dans les 

 espaces interbrachiaux de la face ventrale, les piquants ambulacraires sont differents." 



Judging by de Loriol's figure of finschi, the abactinal plates are considerably smaller 

 than those of novae-caledoniae, and the whole animal resembles more nearly the British 

 Museum specimens of paucifons. In an example of paudforis (pi. 108, fig. 3), or what I 

 believe to be this species, from Mer (Murray) Island, Torres Strait, kindly loaned by Dr. 

 H. L. Clark, the adambulacral armature closely resembles that figured by de Loriol. The 

 furrow spines are proximally 4, then 3, with 2 or 3 heavier spines in the first subambu- 

 lacral series, and 3 or 4 granules, abruptly larger than the actinal granulation, in 

 the third series. 



Linckla paucijoris von Martens, 1866, p. 69. " Fiinf platte Arme, Scheibenradius 

 zum Armradius wie 1 : 5i. Breite der Arme an threr Basis au ihrem Radius = 1 : 4-5. 

 Hohe (an getrockneten) nur die Halfte der Breite. Furchen papillen der inneren 

 Reihe 3, zuweilen 4 auf jeder Platte, flach, gleich gross, nach aussen davon glelch 

 lange dickere, im Durchschuitt drei-vieleckig. In awei verworrene Reihen gestellt, all- 

 mahlich in die Granulation der Bauchseite iibergehend. Eine Reihe klcinerer Pliittchen 

 an der Bauchseite nach aussen von diesen Furchenpaplllen, dann zwei Reihen doppelt 

 60 grosser Flatten. Flatten der Rlickenseite wleder nur halb so gross, rundlich, nicht 

 In Reihen gestellt ; Granulation auf Rlicken- und Bauchseite gleichmassig. Porenfelder 

 auf der Rilckenseite zablrelch zwischen den Flatten vertheilt, jedes nur 4-6 Poren 

 enthaltend ; Madreporenplatte einfach. 



Farbe (der trockenen Exemplare) hell gelbbraun. Armradius bis 100 Mill. 



Insel Adenare bei Flores. 



