604 PROCEEDI^^GS OF THE NATIOXAL MUSEUM. vol. 43. 



longer than in analogus and about as in gracilis. Cribriform organs 

 rather open in interbrachium the width of exposed area of fasciolar 

 spinelets eqiiaUng one-fifth or shghtly less the height of superomar- 

 ginal. Adambulacral plates strongly angular, the adoral facet the 

 shorter. Furrow spines 12 or 13, terete capitate, in a palmate series 

 and basally webbed. A pointed, specialized subambulacral spine, sit- 

 uated on the outer aboral corner of plate is present, accompanied 

 sometimes by a shorter companion, wlule 3 or 4 other shorter spinelets 

 occur on the margin of plate, all immersed m membrane. Madreporic 

 body very large, in diameter equal to length of first 3 superomarginals 

 and situated twice its diameter from margin. Striae fine, radiatmg 

 from a point midway between center and adcentral margin. 



Type.— Cut . No. 30509, U.S.N.M. 



Type-locality. — Station 5624, between Gillolo and Makyan Islands, 

 Molucca Islands (lat. 0° 12' 15" N.; long. 127° 29' 30" E.), 288 

 fathoms, fine sand. 



P^amily ASTROPECTINID/E. 



ASTROPECTEN ACANTHIFER PHRAGMORUS, new subspecies. 



Very similar to A. acantJiifer Sladen, but differing in having nar- 

 rower rays, more perpendicular superomarginals, bearing larger 

 spines on the extreme upper and inner edge of plate (not spaced 

 conspicuously therefrom) ; a relatively longer actinal inferomarginal 

 spine, and longer marginal spines generally (especially in proportion 

 to width of ray) ; an incipiently enlarged subambulacral (more 

 noticeable in young examples). 11 = 48 mm., r = 8 mm., R = 6 r; 

 breadth of ray at second superomarginal, 9 mm. 



Type.— Cat. No. 30510, U.S.N.M." 



Type-locality. — Station 5157, I'icinity of Jolo, Suiu Archipelago, 20 

 fathoms, sand and shells. 



No species of the Indo-Pacific region, other than the well-known 

 Astropecten polyacantlius, has the superomarginal spines as long as 

 those of phragmorus. The spines slightly exceed in length the height 

 of the plate and stand on the extreme upper end. They are also 

 markedly stouter than in acantJiifer. 



The following four species of Astropecten are from deep water and 

 are of slender habit, resembling Astropecten pusillulus Fisher and 

 A. griegi Koehler. The subjoined synopsis will serve to distinguish 

 them from one another. 



KEY TO SPECIES. 



«'. No superomarginal spines; paxilke small delicate; abaetinal spiniform pedicel- 



larise ; furrow spines 4 or 5 eremicus. 



a^. Superomarginal spines present, small. 



6^ Superomarginal spines at base of ray only; subambulacral spines 3 or 4, none 

 enlarged; mouth spines in regular series luzcmieus. 



