u:ic<>ii.h\ 01 NOBIS PACIFIC ami aim mini \\\iu;- FTBHKB 135 



Remarks MuU utergradee with ala in the region of Kodiak 



tin- Shumagin Islands. It resembles foima ahumaginensis, which, in ■ sen 



inter] hate stage between dUuketuru and muUitpina, perhaps if anything a 



nearer the latter. >' i has more numeroua abactinal apinelete and rather 



smaller lateral Btraighl pedicellai I ompare pi. ">7, ti^s. l and 



Subganui ' 



tgnoria. Differing from Lepta in the form and -mull size of the 



cr oooe d pedicellariae which have a vary broad terminal up; in the thick, diatally 

 broadly expanded, circumspinal Bheatha; in the reduction of the adoral carina to 

 pair of adambulacral plates in partial contact interradially; in the incipient degenera- 

 tion "f the dorsal skeleton (dorsolateral skeleton s single laUy 

 not in connection with carina tads opening ventrally; actinal plates in to 2 

 incomplete series 



Type. — LeptasU ricu stdlaeantJui Fisher. 



oris. — The curious small sea stars upon which this subgenus is based are 

 readily recognizable by the very large obconic sheaths which Burround the Bpines and 

 which carry on the distal convex end uumerous diminutive crossed pedicellariae. 

 The latter are of a form which differs from that running pretty constantly through 

 the genus Lepkuterias, as exemplified by groerdandiea, hyperb Ueri, 



littordlia. The sheaths remind one' of those found in | ter, Rothbuna I 



Pymopodia, and Lysattroeoma, and are relatively much fleshier than the ahead 

 L. hyperbarea or of /. tenera forma compta. 



The dorsal skeleton is beginning to disintegrate, the connectives between the 

 single dorsolateral senes ; ,iid the earinals, as well as between the consecutive carii 

 having largely disappeared. The abactinal integument is therefore very soft and 



llcxihlc. 



The adoral carina is as poorly de\ eloped as in some Bp i< - of the Pedicellasterinae. 



Only the adcentral, or inner, two-thirds or three-fourths of the interradial margin of 



the firs! adambulacral plates are in contact. The apeciee is therefore intermediate 

 ur as this character is concerned, between the Asteriinae and Pedicellasterinae. 

 It occupies somewhat the same position in the Asteriinai - / ■ aster wad Ampher 

 in the Pedicellasterinae Its position in the Asteriinae is indicated by the skeletal 

 structure and the presence of pedicellariae on the adambulacral -pines, while the 

 structure of the gonads e an alliance with /■ The distinct form 



of the crossed pedicellariae, however, argues for only a distant connection with 



typical species of TjtpUufarVtA The group is not SO Cl( -e to typical I 



i- the camtachatica-pciaria section. 



i I ri v-i I m B BTOLAC ANTBU. M« .prftc. 



Platel8; Plats is. i . 



/' Rays five, R 32 mm., r 5.6 mm . R 5.8 r; breadth of ray just 



beyond base, mm.; rays sharply constricted at base, arched, gradually tap 



to J, blunt point ; disk -mall, slightly convex; ray uniformly beset with 

 slender, tapered .-pilielet- -m rounded 1>V a relati\ . i\ \ • ry hroad ruli of -mall cro 



