35 
Comaster I.. Aj^assiz. 
Key to the Species ot" the Genus Comjister. 
a' Cirri absent 
b' IllBr series on the outer side of each IIBr series 2, those on the 
inner side being 4(3 + 4); niore than 60 (usually more than 100) 
arms (n o r t her n A u s t r a 1 i a) belli 
b- III Br series all 2(1 + 2) or 2 
c^ 80 or more arms over 80 mm. (usually over 100 mm.) long 
(northern Australia to Fiji, the Gilbert [K.ingsmill] 
Islands, the Ph i I i [jp i n es and Singapore) .... novaeguineae ^) 
c- less than So arms 
d' 45 — 80 (usually 50 — 60) arms (P u 1 o Edam, China 
Sea, toSinga pore) gracilis 
d- not more than 45 arms 
e' llIBr series developed only on the outer side of each 
IIBr series; IVBr series developed only on the inner 
side of each IIIBr series; rather stout (northern 
Australia) mtiltijida ^) 
e" IIIBr series developed on both the inner and outer 
side of each IIBr series; IVBr series rarely present; 
very slender and delicate (R o 1 1 i , the Philip- 
pine and Paternoster Islands) minimus 
a- Cirri present 
b* usually between 100 and 150 arms 
c' IIIBr series on the outer side of each IIBr series 2, those on 
the inner side being 4 (3 + 4); cirri large and stout with 
17 — 18 segments, but more or less deficient, only very 
exceptionally being developed all around the periphery of 
the centrodorsal (n o r t h e r n A u s t r a 1 i a) belli 
z- IIIBr series all 2(1+2) like the following series; cirri large 
and well developed, numerous, with 13 — 16 segments, evenly 
distributed all around the periphery of the centrodorsal (Les- 
ser Sun da Islands and Moluccas to the Philip- 
pine Islands) multibrachiata 
\y not more than 65 arms 
c^ 45 — 63 arms 
d^ usually about 60 (37 — 63) arms 90 mm. to 150 mm. 
long; all the IIIBr series developed; no interradial plating; 
1) Synonyms: Phanogtnia lypica Loven and Aetinomeira sUllata LUlken. 
2) Synonym : Actinometra variabilis Bell. 
