ASTEROIDEA OF NORTH PACIFIC AND ADJACENT WATERS — FISHER 87 



In this wider region a second series of dorsolateral plates extends in great disorder 

 for half or two-thirds the length of ray. The exact number of proximal dorsolateral 

 series of meshes is therefore not easy to determine; theoretically there should be 

 three on each side. The superomarginals are mostly three-lobed (except proximally 

 where irregular four-lobed plates occur irregularly), the descending lobe being short 

 and imbricated directly to the upper lobe of the inferomarginals. The intermarginal 

 papular areas are small and roundish. The quartet of interbrachial marginal plates 

 is less conspicuous than in marianus. 



The abactinal and superomarginal spinelets are short (0.9 mm.), rough, conical, 

 and sharp or bluntly pointed, well-spaced, one to a plate, and interspersed with numer- 

 ous uniformly distributed crossed pedicellariae and a few broadly spatulate unguiculato 

 straight pedicellariae. Inferomarginal spines, one to a plate, terete, rough, scarcely 

 tapered except near tip, bluntly pointed. They are shorter than in marianus, being 

 only about as long as the adjacent adambulacrals, although about 1.5 to 2 times 

 their diameter. They do not stand out in a prominent actinal fringe. 



The larger abactinal areas have five to seven papulae; the smaller two or three; 

 the intermarginal, one or two. 



The adambulacral plates are monacanthid, with here and there a diplacanthid 

 plate; the distal 20 or 30 plates, which are small, are regularly diplacanthid. The 

 spines are slender, terete, and rough near the bluntly pointed tips, and the longest 

 proximal ones are equal to the length of five consecutive plates. Twenty-eight or 

 thirty adambulacral plates correspond to the first ten spiniferous inferomarginals. 

 The first postoral plate touches the companion plate of the adjacent ray, while the 

 second pair nearly touch in one angle. 



The width of the combined oral plates is less than in marianus, and the ventral 

 surface of each plate is only wide enough to carry a longiseries of two or three slender 

 spines a little shorter, than the first few adambulacrals. A single unguiculate pedi- 

 cellaria stands on the truncate actinostomial end of the mouth angle. 



Crossed pedicellariae numerous, uniformly scattered on abactinal plates; few 

 intermarginally and on the inferomarginals. They are similar in form and size to 

 those of marianus, but in profile are a trifle more tapered and have a few more teeth 

 in the vertical series (upwards of 11). Length 0.31 to 0.36 mm. 



The straight pedicellariae, which are fewer than in marianus, are found principally 

 on the inferomarginal plates, are about 1.25 mm. long, very broadly spatulate, with 

 three or four prominent curved claws. The pedicellaria is larger and broader, with 

 coarser, longer, teeth than in marianus. They are absent from furrow face of adam- 

 bulcral plates. 



Madreporic body prominent, 3 mm. in diameter, situated near margin. Ambu- 

 lacral furrow rather wide, but less so than in marianus. Tube-feet in four series 

 proximally, reduced to two zigzag series on outer half of ray. Gonads (ovary) 

 similar to those of marianus, opening on the upper edge of the second (first spiniferous) 

 superomarginal. 



Type.— Cat. No. E. 1426, U.S.N.M. 



Type-locality. — Station 4341, 3 miles southwest of South Coronado Island, 

 vicinity of San Diego, Calif.; 266 to 323 fathoms, gray sand, black specks; bottom 

 temperature, 42° F. 



Distribution. — Known only from tho type-locality. 



