218 PROCEEDINOS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. vol.46. 



spiiielets; subambulacral spines more numerous (8 to 12). Rays 

 6. R = 22 mm., r=8 mm., R = 2.75 r; breadth of ray at base, 7 or 8 

 nmi.; abactinal surface arched, actinal surface plane; rays tapering, 

 bluntly pointed, broader than usual in this genus; radial area of 

 plates not very sharply marked off from lateral areas; plates crescent- 

 shaped, the larger bearing 35 to 45 minute, sharp spinelets, and 

 sometimes a simple pedicellaria composed of 2 spinelets stouter than 

 the others; furrow spines 6 or 7, webbed, the adoral much the smaller; 

 subambulacral spines webbed, 8 to 12; proximal actinal intermediate 

 plates with 7 to 9 slender webbed spines. 



Type.— Cat. No. 32643, U.S.N.M. 



Type-locality. — Station 5482, off Cabugan Grande Island, Surigao 

 Strait, east of Leyte, 67 fathoms, broken shells, stones, green mud. 



In N. helclieri Perrier there are 7 rays, 6 furrow spines, and 3 

 subambulacral spines. In N. joubini the arms are slenderer and the 

 furrow series symmetrical, not as in pedicellaris with the adoral spine 

 much shorter than the aboral. The adambulacral spines are also 

 much shorter, and the actinal intermediate plates bear numerous 

 short spinelets. They are similar to the dorsolateral plates, and do 

 not, as in pedicellaris, resemble the actinal intermediate plates of 

 AsteriTia. 



NEPANTHIA PLATYDISCA, new species. 



Rays 5. R = 54 mm., r = 23 mm., R = 2.3 r; breadth of ray at 

 base, 36 mm.; interbrachia rounded; rays tapering evenly from base 

 to bluntly pointed extremity; general form much flattened, and 

 resembling an Asterina with thin disk; edges of disk and ray thin; 

 abactmal plates divided into 2 areas, a median radial where the 

 plates are irregularly distributed and lateral areas where the plates 

 form transverse (and also to some extent longitudinal) series, the 

 transverse with about 26 or 27 plates at base of ray; plates resem- 

 bling small flat-topped pseudopaxillae; actinal intermediate plates 

 small, in transverse series, the larger plates with 15 to 20 slender, 

 very sharp, webbed spines; furrow spines 7 or 8, webbed into a very 

 convex fan; subambulacral spines 18 to 20, also webbed, usually 

 erect. In favorable places they may be seen to form a very convex 

 series with 6 or 8 spines in the concavity of the series, and involved 

 in the same membrane. Mouth plates with 11 or 12 marginal spines; 

 suboral spines 20 to 25, in 2 series, parallel to free margin, with 5 or 

 6 extra spines between the second series and the median suture. 



Type.—Csii. No. 32644, U.S.N.M. 



Type-locality. — Station 5645, Buton Strait, Celebes, 206 fathoms, 

 bottom not recorded 



This species has the general appearance of a very thin Asterina, 

 with radial areas of nregularly arranged plates and lateral areas of 

 serially arranged plates. The actinal intermediate plates are very 



