NEW STARFISHES FROM THE PACIFIC COAST IIO. 



66. Paxilla? smaller, about 4 or 5 transverse series opposite 2 supero- 

 marginals at base of ray, crowded and more or less irregular 

 along radial lines; enlarged adambulacra] spine with rounded 

 or truncate tip, and not conspicuously tapered... ca lifo miens. 



ASTROPECTEN ORNATISSIMUS Fisher, new species. 



This species differs from its nearest relative, A. californicus, 

 in having shorter rays, larger paxillae with longer spinelets, 

 longer and slenderer adambulacral spines, and longer marginal 

 spines. 



R — 56 mm. ; r = 14 mm. ; R = ^r. Breadth of ray at base, 

 16.5 mm. 



The paxillae afford the most evident difference between orna- 

 tissimus and californicus. In californicus there is a consider- 

 able area around center of disk in which the paxillae are smaller 

 and more crowded than on remainder of disk and on rays, and 

 paxillae of midradial regions are more irregular, at least in 

 arrangement, than along margins of ray. In the present form 

 the large paxillae extend nearly to center of disk, there being 

 only a small area of small paxillae. 



The paxillae of sides of rays are not in such regular rows and 

 are not easily differentiated from the midradial ones. About 

 3 or 3^ transverse series of paxillae correspond to 2 superomar- 

 ginal plates at base of ray (usually 5 in californicus), about 5 at 

 middle of ray, and 6 or 7 near tip. Opposite suture between 

 second and third superomarginal plates about 12 or 13 paxillae 

 can be counted across ray to same point on opposite side (18 to 

 20 in californicus). Large paxillae at base of rays with 15 to 

 18 peripheral and 10 to 15 central spinelets, which are much 

 longer than in californicus, terete, with rounded or clavate tips. 

 Tabulum of paxilla fairly broad so that both central and per- 

 ipheral spinelets appear spaced, giving the whole an open flori- 

 form appearance. Farther along ray, 1 to 6 central spinelets 

 to a paxilla, and upwards to 15 or 18 peripheral. At very end 

 of ray the paxillae are much smaller. 



Superomarginal plates 32 to a ray, without enlarged spine- 

 lets or tubercles. General surface covered with short spinelets, 

 delicate except along median transverse line where they are cla- 



