136 



BUIAETIN 76, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



Fully half the specimens from station 3347 have one or two pectinate pedicel- 

 lariie in one or more of the actinal interradial areas and between several of the prox- 

 imal inferomarginals. The auxiliary spinules surrounding the ahactinal primary 

 spines are fairly long, but are poorly (levoloped on the secondary intermetliate plates. 



Young. — Very young specimens (station 4407) have short rays, a large termi- 

 nal plate, fewer spines than adult, and no papulse. The smallest example has 

 R = ().5 mm., r = 2-l-mm.; si.x superomarginals; two interradii, with an odd super- 

 omarginal; one superomarginal spine, no abactinal spines, a group of three to five 

 spinelets to each plate, one or two inferomarginal spines, one furrow spinelet, one 

 or two actinal adambulacral spinules, six marginal mouth spinelets, three on sur- 

 face of plate; no actinal intermediate plates. In general, the specimen resemble? 

 a young Olieirastir with two odd marginals. An example as small as R = 38 mm. is 

 sufficiently like the adult to make identification easy. The characteristic abactinal 

 plating and spinulation is very evident, and the actinal armature is essentially like 

 that of adult; but the rays are short and the papulae restricted to disk and proxi- 

 mal fourth of K. 



Type.— C&i. No. 27799, U.S.N.M. 



Tyjie-locality. — Albatross station 4402, between San Diego and San Clemente 

 Island, California, 542 fathoms, green mud. 



Distribution. — From south of the Alaska Peninsula to northern Lower Califor- 

 nia, in about 300 to 800 fathoms, usually in about 500 to 700 fathoms; principally 

 on green mud. 



Specimens examined. — Ninety-two, from the following stations: 

 Specimens of Nearchaster aciculosus examined. 



Locality. 



Depth. 



Nature of bottom. 



2871. 

 2923. 

 2980. 

 3070. 

 3073. 

 3338. 

 3343. 

 3347. 

 3670. 

 4335. 

 4352. 

 4353. 

 4354. 

 4381. 



Ofl Gray's Harbor, Washington . . . 

 Ofl San Clemente Island, California. 



Ofl Anacapa Island, Calilomia 



on Sea Lion Rock, Washington 



brown ooze, 

 green mud.. 



U.S.Nat.MuB. 



.do. 



Vicinity Shumagin Islands, Alaska. . 

 Off Destruction Island, Wa.shington. 



Ofl Cascade Head, Oregon 



Off Monterey Bay, California 



Southwest of San Diego, California. . , 

 Vicinity of San Diego 



Vldnltyof I,os Coronados Islands, 



southwest of San Diego. 

 Between Son Diego and San Clemente 



Island, California. 



4400. 

 4402. 

 4405. 



4407. 

 4421. 



Between San Clemente and Santa 

 Catallna Islands, California 



Between Santa Barbara and San 

 Nicholas Island, California. 



345 



581 

 500-524 

 549-585 

 628-640 

 642-«50 

 618-692 



020 



334-GOO 

 241-298 



do 



green mud, sand 



green mud 



mud 



green mud, sand 



green mud, fine gray sand, 

 green mud 



Albalrota, 1904. 



Do. 

 Do. 



gret-n mud, rocks.. 



green mud. 

 ....do 



Do. 

 Do. 



rocks, shells, fine gray sand . 

 green mud, rocks 



