440 BULLETIN 82, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



COMASTER FRUTICOSUS A. H. Clark 



Plate 48, Figure 145; Plate 49, Figures 146, 147 



[See also vol. 1, pt. 1, figs. 37, 40 (syzygies), p. 75; fig. 246 (ventral view of centrodorsal) , p. 251; 



fig. 459 (dorsal view of radial pentagon), p. 357; pt. 2, figs. 21, 22 (centrodorsal and radials), 



p. 15.] 

 Phanogema novae-guineae A. H. Clark, Smiths. Miscall. Coll., vol. 52, pt. 2, 1908, p. 204 [Albatross 



stations 5136, 5137, 5138, 5142, 5147, 5153, 5174, 5179; characters of the specimens). 

 Comaster novae-guineae A. H. Clark, Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington, vol. 22, 1909, p. 173 (articulation 



between the elements of the IBr series a pseudosyzygy) ; Notes from the Leyden Mus., vol. 33, 



1911, p. 178 (the rough and spinous specimens from the Philippines). 

 Comasler fruticosus A. H. Clark, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., vol. 39, 1911, p. 532 (description; Albatross 



station 5356); Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington, vol. 25, 1912, p. 21 (compared with Comaster 



sibogae); Crinoids of the Indian Ocean, 1912, p. 84 (synonymy; range); Journ. Washington 



Acad. Sci., vol. 5, No. 6, 1915, p. 214 (in part; Malayan species; range and its significanc:); 



Unstalked Crinoids of the Siboga Exped., 1918, p. 36 (in key; range); p. 36, footnote 2 (includes 



C. philippinensis A. H. Clark); p. 39 (synonymy; station 282); p. 275 (listed). — Gisl^n, 



Kungl. svenska Vetenskap. Handl., vol. 59, No. 4, 1919, p. 14 (discussion). 

 Comaster philippinensis A. H. Clark, Crinoids of the Indian Ocean, 1912, p. 87, in remarks under 



C. novaeguineae (new name for the specimens of C. novaeguineae recorded by A. H. Clark from 



the Philippines). 



Diagnostic features. — In general resembling multibrachiata, but smaller and less 

 stout, with shorter cirri which have 8-11 segments. The arms are 37-63 (probably 

 usually about 60 on fully grown examples). The color of preserved specimens is 

 light brownish yellow. 



Description. — The centrodorsal is discoidal, with a broad, flat, bare polar area 

 from 2 to 2.5 mm. in diameter. 



The cirri are slender, XXVII-XXX, 8-10 (usually 9), from 7 to 9 mm. long. 

 The first segment is much broader than long, the second is about twice as long as its 

 median width, and the third is the longest, three times as long as the median width. 

 The fourth segment is somewhat shorter than the third and is a transition segment. 

 The following segments gradually become shorter, the antepenultimate being about 

 as long as broad and the penultimate slightly broader than long. The transition 

 and following segments have slight dorsal processes. 



The IIBr series are 4 (3 + 4); the IIIBr series are 2; the IVBr series are 2, but 

 are rarely developed. 



The 37-63 arms are 90 mm. in length. They are very slender and, with the 

 division series, resemble those of the related species. The projection of the distal 

 edges of the brachials is very marked. 



Notes. — The description is based on 4 specimens from Albatross station 5356. 



The larger specimen from Siboga station 282 has about 60 arms which are about 

 90 mm. long. The cirri are XXI, 10-11, from 8 to 9 mm. long. The smaller is in 

 the 10-armed juvenile stage, the arms being 25 mm. long. 



The specimen from Amboina Bay has 48 arms which are 110 mm. long. Of the 

 10 IIBr series, 6 are 4 (3 + 4) and 4 are 2. The centrodorsal is discoidal, with the 

 dorsal pole circular, 3 mm. in diameter, and slightly concave. The cirrus sockets are 

 arranged in two and a partial third crowded marginal rows. The cirri are XXXV, 8-9. 



