SHALLOW-WATER STARFISHES 159 



The dorsal surface is very openly reticulated, with rather small 

 and narrow ossicles, forming large, irregular, angular papular areas. 



The dorsal spines are rough, unequal, and numerous, though less 

 numerous than in the type. They are irregularly and coarsely reticu- 

 late in arrangement ; and toward the base of the rays, especially on 

 the sides, the smaller ones form short transverse rows or combs on 

 the borders of the larger, transversely elongate, papular areas. 



The larger spines, which are relatively few in number, are short, 

 strongly clavate or subtruncate, and striate at the tips, mostly scarcely 

 higher than broad. These larger spines often form an irregular 

 median radial row proximally ; others are irregularly placed on the 

 nodes of the larger reticulations. Toward the ends of the rays, they 

 become much more numerous and sometimes stand in small groups. 



The smaller spines are very much smaller, mostly tapered and sub- 

 acute, but some are obtuse and many are spinulose at the 

 tip. The whole dermal surface, including the papular areas, is cov- 

 ered with numerous small minor pedicellariae. They also form small 

 clusters on the bases of the spines. The superomarginal spines are 

 rather longer than the dorsals and tapered or only slightly clavate, 

 often obliquely truncate; they mostly stand singly on the plates and 

 form a regular row, but on one specimen they stand two or even 

 three on a plate, the secondary ones being smaller. 



The inferomarginals are very similar in size and form, but rather 

 more tapered; they usually stand two on a plate, but sometimes 

 singly proximally. 



There are usually three rows of actinal ossicles proximally, some- 

 times four, rarely but two. Many of them bear two or even three 

 spines, others but one, so that the number of rows of actinal spines 

 is variable; but they are always numerous, crowded, nearly equal, 

 and very similar to the inferomarginals, though usually rather 

 longer and more tapered, especially toward the mouth. 



The adambulacral spines are terete, much more slender, but about 

 as long as the actinals, tliey mostly stand alternately, one and two to 

 a plate. Those within the disk, and especially the adorals and epi- 

 orals, become decidedly longer (6 mm. to 8 mm.) and more slender. 

 The apical perorals are much shorter and stouter. 



The lateral channels, between the upper and lower marginal 

 spines, and also between the latter and the peractinals, are well 

 defined and bear numerous pedicellariae of both kinds. 



The major pedicellariae are acute-ovate or triangular-ovate, acute 

 at the tip, and not very large. They also occur on the back and 



