195 



Othilia Gray, 1840. 



Type Othilia eckinopJiora Asterias spinosa Retzius not Pennant = 

 Asterias echinophora Lamarck]. Species examined: 0. ecìiinopìiora, 0. 

 senta {S&y), 0. spi?iulosus [Y errili) , 0. purpurea [Grsij), 0. tenuispina 

 (Verrill); 0. eridanella (M. and T.) seems to belong here also, but I have 

 not seen it. 



If I am mistaken in assigning E. sepositus as the type of Echinaster^ 

 then what is here called OtliiUa will become EcJdnaster, and Echinastir 

 above will become Rhopia Gray, 1840, type Rhopia seposita Gray [= 

 Asterias seposita Lam. and Echinaster sepositus Authors]. 



The following new species of Echinaster was collected by the U.S. 

 Fisheries steamer "Albatross" at station 5483, Surigao Strait, off 

 Cabugan Grande Island, Philippine Islands, 74 fathoms, sand, broken 

 shells. 



Echinaster stereosomus new species. 



Diagnosis. — ■ Rays 5; R = 52 mm, r = 10mm, R=5,2r; 

 breadth of ray at base, 12 ram. Disk fairly large; rays tapering at first 

 rather rapidly, then very gradually, the distal two-thirds being attenuate; 

 abactinal surface of rays well arched, actinal surface slightly convex. 

 Spines short, conical, sharp, spaced 2 to 4 times their length, forming 

 2 marginal and proximally 5 (distally 3) abactinal, longitudinal series; 

 papulae 1 to 5 to each of the conspicuous, roundish, or more or less qua- 

 drate (and distally elongate) areas; skin fairly thick, glandular, covering 

 whole surface of body except tips of the sharp spines, and crowded with 

 very numerous, minute, perforated plates and rods; an odd interradial 

 spiniferous actinal intermediate plate, with 2 or 3 rudimentary plates 

 on either side, is wedged between mouth plates and the proximal 

 inferomarginals ; inferomarginals adjacent to adambulacral plates; no 

 intermarginal or actinal papulae; adambulacral armature a vertical 

 series of 3 spines, the uppermost, on border of furrow, the largest, the 

 other 2 smaller, the lowest, strongly compressed, slender and bent at 

 base; uppermost spines with their membrane investment form a conti- 

 nuous serrate web closing furrow. Related to E. catlosiis von Maren- 

 zeller , but with larger disk , shorter rays broader at base (not slightly 

 constricted as in callosus) ; spines less prominent, and skin thinner, espe- 

 cially around the spines; papulae fewer, skeleton more regular; there 

 are usually 3 adambulacral spines in a vertical series (2 in callosus), and 

 the deposits of the skin are very numerous, fairly evenly distributed, 

 and in the form of perforated plates rather than branched rods or rather 

 open plates, unevenly distributed. 



The larger abactinal plates are three- or four-lobed and are con- 



13* 



