502 PROCEEDIZvJGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM VOL.84 



To state that the same species mhabits both the tropical East Indies 

 and southern Bering Sea impHes something vastly different from the 

 statement that each region is occupied by a distinct race of the same 

 species. 



Stylaster eximius forma minor Hickson and England (1905, p. 11, 

 pi. 1, figs. 7, 8) has been reported by Dr. Broch (1936, p. 22, fig. 3; pi. 

 1, fig. 3) from 1,076 meters, Okhotsk Sea. Dr. Broch's specimen 

 differs from alaskanus, inter alia, in having a much shallower gastro- 

 pore and a proportionately longer gastrostyle (Broch, 1936, fig. 3b). 

 The style chamber is apparently not well differentiated. S. g. alaskanus 

 has a much sturdier build and a rougher surface than minor, as indi- 

 cated by figures of the type. All the Siboga specimens were taken in 

 warm shallow water of the East Indies. It seems to me doubtful 

 that this race would occur in the extremely cold water of Okhotsk Sea. 

 At all events Stylaster gemmascens alaskanus is widely different from 

 typical S. eximius minor. 



STYLASTER CANCELLATUS, new species 



Plate 35, Figures 2-2c; Plate 39; Plate 40 



Diagnosis. — Superficially resembling Allopora polyorchis but differ- 

 ing in its more delicate structure and its more freely anastomosing 

 branches and branchlets devoid of spiny outgrowths; by its shallower 

 and consistently funnel-shaped gastropores; and by the subspherical 

 lumpy or corrugated female ampullae. Cyclosystems few on ex- 

 posed surface of colony but relegated to lateral, protected face of 

 branchlets. 



Description. — As compared to polyorchis there are very few cyclo- 

 systems on exposed surfaces ; rather they are crowded od the protected 

 lateral face of the branchlets (pi. 39). These branches anastomose 

 more freely than in polyorchis and the very irregular intervals of the 

 net are often extremely narrow. 



The gastropores average a little shallower than those of polyorchis, 

 and the form is more often funnel-shaped (pi. 35, figs. 2, 26, 2c) than 

 the tubular form oi polyorchis (pi. 35, fig. Id). Where the branchlets 

 are crowded and crooked the cyclosystems are quite asymmetrical 

 in all sorts of ways. As in polyorchis, two or three gastropores may be 

 smrounded by a series of dactylotomes, and m these (as well as in 

 single distorted cyclosystems) the gastrostyle is likely to be thicker 

 than in the normal symmetrical ones. From the branchlets that 

 anastomose and form the net grow out very numerous short irregular 

 twigs, wliich do not join, another branch but help to fill in the avail- 

 able space between the already crowded branchlets. The terminal 

 cyclosystem of such a tvdg is deeper and more symmetrical than the 

 laterals usually are (pi. 35, fig. 26). 



