264 



BULLETIN 16, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



Young. — The smallest specimen (station 4361) has R = 8.5 mm., r = 4 mm., 

 and is easy to identify when one is acquainted with the adult. There are three 

 longitudinal rows of abactinal tubercles, in place of spines, and a superomarginal 

 row of tubercles. The inferomarginal plates bear a short stout spine or two. 

 Intermarginal papula? two to an area; abactinal, one to four. Adambulacral spines 

 prominent, without grooves. Marginal plates prominent, especially the inferomar- 

 ginals which encroach conspicuously onto the actinal surface; the creature is 

 strongly phanerozoniate. Only one or two actinal interradial spines, and only a 

 few plates. An example from 2893 with R = 12 mm. is much like the above. 

 The characters of the species appear first in a specimen witli R = 1.5 mm. and are 

 pronounced in one with R = 25 mm. 



Parasites. — A specimen from 4471 contained a Dendrogaster, perhaps of the 

 same species as that figured for IlippasteHa calif ornica. The starfish has weaker 

 rays and a generally flabbier appearance than two other specimens from the same 

 station. The Dendrogaster was found in the body cavity, its branches extending 

 into two raj's. The gonads of the starfish are almost rudimentary, although the 

 major radius measures 60 mm. 



Type. — Xo. 309, Stanford University collection (invertebrate .series) . 



Type-locality. — Monterey Bay, near Pacific Grove, California, off shore in 

 about 60 to 70 fathoms, possibh^ considerably shallower. The type was caught 

 by Chinese fishermen. 



Distribution. — Oregon to San Diego, California (and undoubtedly southward), 26 

 to 159 fathoms, apparently gradually changing in deeper water to the followmg race. 



Specimens examined. — Twenty-seven, from the following stations: 



Specimens of Poraniopns injlata examined. 



Remarls. — I have examined a large Poraniopsis from off Honshu, Japan, 182 

 fathoms, which differs in a few details from infl.ata and probably represents a 

 different though closely related species. The rays are shorter and tlie disk larger 



