240 BUIjLETIX 76, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



about half the length of ray. Flat, oblong, or irregular granules surrounding them, 

 the whole being somewhat convex in appearance. A number of the granules have 

 a subconical ])rominence in the center. The other intermediate plates bear a 

 central conical tubercle, surrounded by several low conical granules which grade 

 into the Hatter, plate-hke gramdes toward the peripher}^ of the plate, these granules 

 reseudjUng those of the ahactinal surface in shape but not free on the edges. 



Madreporic body fairly large, somewhat convex, irregidar in outline, situated 

 nearer center than midway to margin; striations deep, irregularly interrupted; 

 anal opening surrounded by a cluster of bead-like granules. 



Color in life, scarlet vermiUon. 



Type. —Cat. No. 22340, U.S.N.M. 



Type-locality. — Albatross station 4430, off Santa Cruz Island, California, 281 

 fathoms, black sand, pebbles, rocks. 



Distribution. — Known only from the vicinit}' of Santa Cruz Island, Cahfornia, 

 but probably extending to the Tres Marias Islands, Mexico. (See below.) 



Specimens examined. — The type, and a specimen in the National Museum 

 collection from station 2948, off Santa Cruz Island, Cahfornia, 266 fathoms, gray 

 sand, gravel, broken shells. 



Remarks. — Hippasteria pacifica Ludwig (1905, p. 138, figs. 56, 57, 132) is, I 

 beUeve, the same as C. lepidonotus, though in view of some shght differences it may 

 prove to be a geograpliical variety. It was taken near the Tres Marias Islands 

 (station 3425, 680 fathoms). If the two forms are identical, then the range of 

 lepidonotus will be from southern Cahfornia to the Tres Marias Islands, Mexico. 



The differences seem to be as follows: In pacifica, more clearly defined ahactinal 

 plates, less prominent ahactinal tubercles (perhaps due to smaller size of specimen), 

 and less crowded and overlapping ahactinal granules. All these differences may 

 be due to the small size of Ludwig's specimen (R = 48 mm.). The description of 

 pacifica otherwise fits lepidonotus very well. 



Family LINCKIID.E Perrier, 1875. 



Ophidiaslcridx"' Verrill, Trans. Conn. Acad., vol. 1, pt. 2, 1867, p. 344. 



Linckiidic Pekrier, R6\d3ion dea Stell^rides, 1875, p. 117. — Sladen, 1889, p. 397 (includes also 



Chxtaster) . 

 Linckiadx Viguier, Squelette des Stell^rides, 1879, p. 144 (includes Chxtaster, Lincl-ia, and 



Nardoa only). 



Phanerozonia with usually small marginal plates, slender, fingerhke rays and 

 small disk; skeleton tessellate; tegumentary developments granulate; superam- 

 bulacral plates usually present but small; pedicellarife, when present, foraminate 

 or excavate; papulae sometimes occurring on actmal surface. 



Itemxirlcs. — Members of tliis family are usually found in tropical or subtropical 

 regions. Only one species reaches California. There is no authentic record of 

 either P/iana or Phatarin from the State, although both occur on the coast of Lower 

 Cahfornia and southwartl. 



<• VerriU's name is the oldest, but LinckiidsD haa been used by every writer since 1875, and Verrill 

 haa himself adopted it. Ophidiasteridx should have received the recognition that was accorded Echin- 

 asteridx. 



