11 



the ray, furnish a highly suggestive representation of their phylogenetic 

 development. The tentacular pore-system is limited to the disk only ; 

 that portion of the brachial series which is prolonged beyond the body- 

 disk being (both internally and externally) in an extremely rudimen- 

 tary and aborted condition, whilst the extension of the peritoneal cavity 

 to the extremity of the functional portion of the rays, i. e. to the margin 

 of the pentagonal body, is an additional characteristic of asteroid 

 structure. 



From the above summary it will be seen that the Echinoderm 

 under notice differs very widely from all known groups of genera , and 

 in such a marked degree as to warrant its being regarded as the type 

 of a new and intermediate family, whilst at the same time it affords a 

 more decided and intelligible link between the two orders, (at any rate 

 from the ophiuran side) , than any form with which we have hitherto 

 been acquainted. 



Fam. Astrophiuridae mihi. 



Brachia cum disco ophiurano in corpore pentagonali inclusa. 

 Dentés absunt. Oris armatura simplex et imperfecta. Pori pedum am- 

 bulacralium septis angustis ad perpendiculum radii directis disjunct!. 

 Cava interbrachialia periata. ♦ 



Astrophiura permira, gen. et sp. nov. 



Corpus pentagonale, depressimi, supra convexum, infra paulo con- 

 cavum ; obtectum squamis , concinnis et planis . in dimidio interiore 

 more disci ophiurani dispositis, dimidio exteriore scutellorum latera- 

 lium brachiorum simulantibus maxime prolatis. Brachia incipientia ab 

 augulis disci producta, series radiales continuantia. 



In superficie actinali os medium, decern magnis ossiculis oralibus 

 cinctum, prostantibus scutellis adoralibus. Unum scutum buccale 

 adest; dentés, scutella oraria et tori angulares absunt. Papillae orales 

 teniae aut quaternae, cum una magna, ad angulos oris apposita. 



Series scutorum quadratorum a rimis oris per radios procedunt, 

 scutellis ventralibus prostantibus, et per brachia inchoata producuntur. 



Foramina pedum ambulacralium septis angustis disjuncta; per- 

 magna, protecta singula longà papilla ambulacrali ad margines inter- 

 brachiales, lanceolata et squamaeformi, altera minore ad partem interio- 

 rem radii juxta scutella brachiorum ventralia posità. Areae inter- 

 brachiales squamis parvis hexagonalibus obtectae, marginem appropin- 

 quantes decrescunt, relinquentes limbum angustum expositum; disci 

 margine cincta densis spinis, brevibus et compressis. 



Hab. in mari ad oras insulae Madagascar. 

 Stazione Zoologica, Napoli, Dee. 18., 1878. 



