17(.) l.LETIX 76, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



Yen-ill (191 1. p. 88) introduces a new variety from San Diego — Pisaster ItitJcenii 

 var. australis. The description does imt suite the differences which separate the 

 variety from typical lutkenii (that is. giganteus) but simply lists the characters of a 



specimen supposed to have been collected by Dr. Edward Palmer. This speci- 

 men, which I have examined, hears (he number 4029 and also a very small label 

 pasted on. with "\V. R. Coe, 1901." Doctor Coe tells me that he believes this 

 specimen to be one of several large ones which he collected at Pacific Grove, Mon- 

 terey Bay, in 1901. The loose label with "San Diego, Dr. Edward Palmer" by an 

 unfortunate circumstance became associated with this Monterey specimen. The 

 type of \ai\ australis is therefore from Monterey Bay and represents simply an 

 individual variant. 



Young. — Small specimens resemble capitatus in having few, relatively large, 

 abactinal spines. A specimen with R 27 mm. has a zigzag longiseries of dorsolateral 

 spines and a very irregular series of carinals. The stone-hammer pedicellariae are 

 numerous and thicker than the spine-tips in most cases. (PL 86, fig. 11.) The 

 supermarginal plates have a conspicuous area of hyaline bosses. Crossed and 

 furcate pedicellariae, numerous. Monterey. 



Anatomical notes. — The skeleton is essentially like that of ochraceus, a very irreg- 

 ular reticulum of higher spiniferous ridges inclosing spaces subdivided by lower, spine- 

 less trabeculae into the irregularly circular or oval papular areas (skeletal intervals). 

 The vertical intermarginal pillars between the supero and infero marginal plates 

 appear to be like those of ochraceus. These increase in size with age. At first, in 

 young specimens, there is simply a single ossicle tying the supero and infero marginal 

 plates. Secondary marginal and actinal plates develop with growth. As the animal 

 grows older the general skeleton is strengthened by the addition of elongate ossicles on 

 the coelomic surface, especially in the form of buttresses on the sides of the ray, and 

 across the actinal area, between the supero marginals and lower end of the ambulacral 

 plates. These actinal buttresses, composed of numerous small ossicles, separate a 

 series of rather deep pits all along the ray, at the outer end of the ambulacral plates. 

 The older the specimen the deeper the pits. Through these extensions of the coelom 

 the fluid of the body cavity reaches the extensive system of actinal papulae. 



The ambulacral ossicles are very compressed and thin. The furrow broadens at 

 the base to narrow quickly toward the small actinostome. At the widest part there 

 are eight longiseries of tube feet in well-developed specimens. 



The actinostome is only about one-fourth r in diameter and is characteristically 

 sunken so that it lies close to the abactinal body wall. The animal everts its stomach 

 when eating. It is the large very numerous and powerful proximal tube feet which 

 open mussel shells, or lift barnacles and limpets from rocks. The long adoral carina 

 iv much narrower at the inner end than the oral plates. Occasionally plates of one 

 side of carina are overdeveloped so that the median suture lies on the side of the 

 carina, or follows a rather sinuous course. 



Type. No. 1283, U.S.N.M. 



Type locality.- Tomales Pay, Calif.; Mr. Samuels. 



/list/ ■llitition. Southern part of Vancouver Island to Monterey Bay, intergrad- 

 ing to the south with P. giganteus capitatus. Low tide to 48 fathoms (Monterey Bay). 



Specimens examined. — Very numerous examples from Monterey Bay, Calif. 



