142 BULLETIN 76, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



rather long peduncles, sometimes as frequently as one to each plate and the largest 

 are usually little wider than the adambulacral spines, while the smallest may be 

 only one-third as broad. They are ovate-lanceolate or lanceolate, acute, and ordinarily 

 the tips meet without crossing. Two specimens (forma leptostyla) from station 3445, 

 100 fathoms off Washington, are notable for having the furrow pedicellariae very 

 large — two or three times as broad as the inner furrow spine, although much smaller 

 ones are present — and some of them end in one or two curved claws. (PI. 66, fig. 9.) 

 A series of figures uniformly enlarged twenty-five times shown on Plate 66 will 

 demonstrate the range of variation much more effectively than a description. The 

 measurements are indicated in the explanation of plates. 



Crossed pedicellariae rather large, very numerous, on tough sheaths surrounding 

 the abactinal and superomarginal spines, and in conspicuous tufts on the outer face 

 of the inferomarginal and actinal spines. In live animals the wreaths nearly touch. 

 In preserved specimens the space between the clusters depends upon the degree of 

 inflation of ray as well as upon the number of spines. The length of the pedicellariae 

 varies suprisingly little, ranging from 0.4 to 0.5 mm. (abactinal), in specimens which 

 are widely diverse in size. Dorsal pedicellariae from a huge specimen from station 

 3466 are 0.45 mm. long, the same size as those of the type of VerrhTs columbiana 

 and several other much smaller specimens. A series of drawings uniformly magni- 

 fied one-hundred times shows the variations in specimens from different parts of the 

 range. (PI. 65.) 



A characteristic of the crossed pedicellariae is the absence of the enlarged lateral 

 terminal tooth or teeth so well developed in Coscinasterias, Distolasterias, Scleras- 

 terias, Astrometis, and especially in Stylasterias. The latter has pedicellariae resem- 

 bling those of Coronaster, and of the Coscinasteriinae is probably the genus most nearly 

 related to Coronaster and is certainly far removed from Orthasterias. 



Color in life. — A singularly beautiful species and very conspicuous in grottos or 

 rock pools, among algae. In the vicinity of Monterey Bay, specimens give the general 

 impression of being bright dark red banded or mottled with yellow ocher and with 

 whitish -or lilac spines. Analyzed, the color is: Abactinal spines pale phlox pink 

 often brighter at ends of ray and whitish on the yellow areas; spine sheaths Nopal 

 red or Brazil red; papulae and spaces between wreaths of pedicellariae darker, ox- 

 blood red. Arms either mottled on side or crossed by bars of cinnamon or sayal 

 brown. Lower surface, pinkish buff. The Departure Bay form has the same general 

 coloring. There is some difference in the lighter bands, these varying toward pinkish 

 vinaceous or vinaceous cinnamon. The colors are rather vivid. 



Anatomical notes. — The gonads consist of 10 long branched masses extending 

 from the point of attachment which is interradial on the dorsal wall of disk, just above 

 the superomarginal plates (which turn upward at base of ray). The aperture is 

 apparently between two dorsal lobes of the superomarginals, hence technically 

 abactinal in position. The gonads extend to about 0.6 the length of R. Each gonad 

 is covered with many globose small divisions and along the mesial border about 25 

 rather long slender, basally lobulated branches extend over the ambulacral ridge and 

 are in contact with those of the other side. The ventral eversible portion of the 

 stomach is spacious and is anchored to either side of the ambulacral ridge by strong 

 muscles. The intestinal coecum consists of six branches about 15 mm. long, the 

 two middle extending into the left trivial ray, the other two pairs into the anterior 

 and left bivial ray, respectively. The actinostomial ring viewed from above is mas- 



