ASTEROIDEA OF NORTH PACIFIC AND ADJACENT WATERS — FISHER. 243 



smaller and less uniform in the papular areas), but on the actinal surface are not at 

 all uniform and increasing in size toward the furrow, in the vicinity of which they arc 

 larger and often more glohose than on the abactinal area. Papular areas small, 

 always smaller than the adjacent slightly convex abactinal plates. There are few 

 pores, usuall}' not more than ten, and comm<mly as few as three or four. In some 

 examples the granules are not markedly smaller in the papular areas than on the 

 adjacent i)lates, but usually they are considerably smaller, with numerous very 

 small granules intermixed. 



Adambulacral armature nearly identical with that of L. (juiUingil. On the 

 furrow, two granuliform spinclets, the adoral the larger, with a flaring truncate- 

 rounded tip about half as wide as the height; next to this (aborally) a shorter, slen- 

 derer spinelet, either slightly tapering and bluntly pointed, or somewhat davate and 

 truncately rounded. Directly back of the larger spinelet is a tubercular granule 

 more nearly circular (that is, not much compressed) in a transverse section than the 

 furrow granule, round-tipped, and about the same height as the latter. 



Madreporic bodies, usually two, sometimes one, or three to five; flat, vaiying 

 greatly in size, shape, and position. Usually two anal apertures, less commonly one, 

 rarely three or four; rarely two mouths. (Monks.) 



Color in life, "mottled reddish brown and ash color, with the tips of the rays 

 and the small new rays, or new portion of the ray a brighter and uniform red." 

 (Monks.) 



Variation. — Miss Sarah P. Monks studied tliis species with reference to the varia- 

 tion and autotomy. She examined over four hundred specimens. The following 

 is quoted from her paper:" 



In over 400 specimens examined not more than four were symmetrical, and no two were alike [in 

 regard to the size of the rays]. * * * The animals vary in size from 4 to 17 centimeters. This differ- 

 ence may in some measure be due to age, but there is evidently also considerable difference in size in 

 adult specimens. 



The normal number of rays is five, but some specimens have only one, while others have four, six, 

 seven, or even nine; four, five, or six being most common numbers. Of 248 specimens examined 29 had 

 one ray, 34 four rays, 135 five rays, 44 six rays, 5 seven rays, and 1 nine rays. 



There is a marked irregularit y in the size of the rays, for the breaking and renewing occur at all ages, 

 or at least at all sizes. Singlolivingrayswithoutanyexternalsignofdi.^k arc not uncommon. Twenty- 

 two in a lot of 240 were single. In animals mca-'sured the rays varied in lingtli from 22-75 mm., and were 

 in all conditions, from specimens which showed by the raw surface that the breakage was recent , through 

 all grades of healing surface to stars where new rays appeared as mere buds, to the comet series and to 

 the various rays of adult Phataria; [i. e., Linckia]. 



Comets are frequently found; there were forty-one of them in 240 specimens. These are stars with 

 one long ray and a number of small rays extending from a minute disk. They are raj's that have made 

 a new body. 



From the great discrepancy in the size of the rays it follows that one or two rays may be sexually 

 mature, while others are email or even buds. In two individuals sexually mature Aug. 4, 1901, the 

 measurements of rays show: male, 77, 70, 58, 20 mm.; female, 70, 05, 52, 13 mm. 



There is a great difference in the size of the madreporic body and frequently, but not alwayi<, it is 

 larger in large specimens. In 174 specimens C had one, 15-1 had two, 11 had three, 2 had four and 1 hod 

 five madreporites. 



a Variability and Autotomy of Phalaria, Proc. .\cad. Nat. Sei. Phila., vol. 5C, 1904. p. 59G, pi. 42. 



