NO. 1944. NEW GENERA AND 8PECIES OF STARFISHES— FISHER. 633 



inferomarginals corresponding to superomarginals, tumid, the last 

 6 or 7 with a subcentral enlarged granule. Area of abactinal plates 

 stellate; median radial plates wider than long, subhexagonal, the 

 others subcircular, all tabulate; granules relatively coarse, the periph- 

 eral flattened, finger-nail-shaped, 10 to 12 on the radial plates and 8 

 to 10 on laterals; central granules roundish, low, 2 or 3 to 6 on radial 

 plates, 1 to 3 on lateral plates; carinal plates of attenuate part of ray 

 small, those opposite the transverse sutures of superomarginals 

 elliptical or lozenge-shaped, the alternate plates smaller and oblong; 

 abactinal plates with a few upright conspicuous pedicellarise, with 2 

 oblong or slightly tapered jaws. Adambulacral plates with a slightly 

 curved furrow margui and 4 or 5 subequal, slightly compressed, 

 blunt, furrow spines; subambulacral spines 3 or 4 in an oblique longi- 

 tudinal series spaced from furrow, followed by proximally 3 or 4 

 granules in a single series, or distally 5 or 6, usually in 2 series. Oral 

 spines 8, similar to the adambulacral furrow spines. 



Type.— Cut. No. 30541, U.S.N.M. 



Type-locality . — Station 5481, Surigao Strait, off Cabugan Grande 

 Island, Leyte, 61 fathoms, sand, shells, gravel. 



This species agrees with R. symholicus in having the superomar- 

 ginals of the ray, with the exception of the last 2 or 3, separated by a 

 single series of abactinal plates, but differs in having conspicuously 

 tumid marginal plates, the distal half dozen of each series bearing a 

 small central tubercle. The furrow spines are 4 or 5 instead of 8 to 

 12, and the species is small, while symholicus is large. 



Genus NYMPHASTER Sladen. 



KEY TO THE SPECIES OF NYMPHASTER HEREIN DESCRIBED. 



a^. Marginal mouth spines (bordering on mouth of ambulacral furrow) 6 or 7, excep- 

 tionally 8 (if 8, then rays not conspicuously slender, but if measured at proximal 

 sutiu'e of the first pair of superomarginals which meet medially, equaling length 

 of first 3 J to 4i superomarginals measured on ambitus); some of the radial plates 

 wider than long; mouth plates small, and rays stout, the inferomarginals 

 extending laterally beyond superomarginals. 

 6'. Mouth plates nearly or quite inclosed by the first pair of adambulacrals; numer- 

 ous subambulacral spines; abactinal granules mucronate mueronatus. 



b-. Mouth plates not inclosed; subambulacral spines few or none (granules only); 



abactinal granules at best only incipiently mucronate, and these few in 



number. 



d. Five longitudinal series of abactinal radial plates with the distal as well as 



proximal plates obviously wider than long; no marginal or abactinal 



pedicellariae ; inferomarginals and superomarginals wider, the latter on rays, 



the former on disk; width of ray as measured in a', equaling first 4 or 5 



superomarginals euryplax. 



(P. Radial plates not so obviously wider than long, the difference showing on 

 the proximal plates of the radial areas rather than on the distal ; numerous 

 abactinal and a few marginal pedicellariae; superomarginals narrower on 

 ray and inferomarginals narrower on disk; ray measured as in a} equaling 

 first 3J superomarginals dyscritus. 



