OPHTOTHRIX. ifs! 
Key to the Spectes. 
Sides of the interbrachial spaces spiny ......-.++.+5- 1. O. fragilis. 
Sides of the interbrachial spaces bare .........-..++5: 2. O. luetkeni, 
1. Ophiothrix fragilis. 
Asterias fragilis, Abilg. apud O. F. Miiller, Zool. Dan. iii. (1789) 
p. 28, pl. xeviii.; Retz. Diss. Spec. Ast. (1805) p. 30; Nélss. Coll. 
Zool, Scan. (1817) p. 16. 
Ophiura fragilis, Lamk. An. s. Vert. ii. (1816) p. 546. 
Ophiothrix fragilis, MW. Tr. Syst. Ast. (1842) p. 110, pl. ix. fig. 2; 
Gray, Brit. Rad. (1848) p. 26; Sars, Nyt Mag. x. (1859) p. 18; 
td. Norg. Ech. (1861) p. 12; Norm. Ann. § Mag. xv. (1865) 
p: 107; Heller, Zooph. u. Ech. Adriat. (1868) p. 62; Liitk. 
Dansk. Vid. Selsk. Skrift. viii. (1870) p. 52; Lyman, Bull. M. 
C. Z. iii. (1874) p. 249; Ludw. Mitth. zool. Stat. Neap. i. (1879) 
p- 551; Carus, Prod. Faun. Med. (1884) p. 95; Fjelstrup, Zool. 
Dan. Pigh. (1890) p. 25, pl. ii. fig. 5; Bell, Ann. § Mag. viii. 
(1891) p. 338. 
Asterias pentaphylla, Penn. Brit. Zool. iv. (1777) p. 54; Turton, 
Brit. Faun. (1807) p. 141. 
Ophiothrix pentaphyllum, Ljwngman, CUsfo. Vet.-Ak. Forh. 1871, 
p- 622; Lyman, Bull. M. C. Z, iii. (1874) p. 249; ed. Proce. Roy. 
Soc, Ed. xi. (1882) p. 707. 
Ophiothrix rammelsbergii, MW. Jr. Syst. Ast, (1842) p. 113, pl. viii. 
fig. 3. 
Ophiocoma rosula, Forb. Brit. Starf. (1840) p. 60; Peach, Proc. 
R. Phys. Soc. Edinb, ii. (1859-62) p. 63; Herdman, Proc. Roy. Phys. 
Soc. Ed. v. (1880) p. 200; Leslie § Herdm. op. cit. vi. (1881) p. 89; 
Tregelles, Rep. § Trans. Penzance Nat. Hist. Soc. 1887-88, 
p. 371. 
Asterias varia, Penn. Brit. Zool. iv. (1777) p. 54. 
Asterias radiata, id. cbid. 
Asterias hastata, id. t. e. p. 55. 
Asterias fissa, 7d. vid. 
Asterias nigra *, id. ibid. 
A species which exhibits the greatest variations in colour and 
marking, and in the presence or absence of spines on the disk; of 
moderate size. 
Arms very fragile, about eight to ten times as long as the radius 
of the disk. The scales on the upper surface of the disk often 
form projecting spinules, but may be almost completely hidden by 
elongated, delicate spines. ‘The triangular radial shields are of 
large size and are bare except for a few spines which may be present 
on the inner side of their base. Each is separated from its fellow 
by a few laterally compressed scales on which are spinous granules 
or short spines. 
The teeth-papille are exceedingly numerous and beneath the 
clump are seven teeth. The arms are rather delicate; the upper 
* Pennant’s descriptions are not sufficient, but Borlase’s figures, to which he 
refers, easily enables us to recognize these forms; all these five but radiata are 
cited by Turton, Brit. Faun. (1807) p. 141. 
a) 
