REPORT ON THE ASTEROIDEA. , 433 
5. Stichaster felipes, n. sp. (Pl. CI. figs. 1 and 2; Pl. CIII. figs. 7 and 8). 
Rays five. R=66 mm.;7r=10toll mm. R>6,r. Breadth of a ray near the base, 
12 to 15 mm. 
Rays elongate, rather broad at the base, and tapering gradually therefrom up to the 
extremity, their form being more or less cylindrical, slightly flattened. The disk is shg¢htly 
convex in the region covered by the primary apical plates ; and there is a rather deep and 
broad depression in each interradium external to this area, from which a depressed sulcus 
proceeds up to the summit of the interbrachial are. The interbrachial ares are acute. 
The abactinal area of the disk is occupied on fully the central half by large permanent 
primary apical plates. All the plates along the rays are arranged in regular longitudinal 
series. The abactinal plates may be defined as follows: a median series of large, broad 
plates, sueceeded on each side by an intermediate series of smaller plates, and a lateral 
series of large plates broader than those of the median series. Then follow two series of 
smaller marginal plates, which stand wholly in the lateral wall of the ray, the plates of 
the superior series being larger than those of the companion series. Between these and 
the adambulacral plates intervene two, or at the base of the ray perhaps three, series of 
intermediate plates. 
The abactinal and marginal plates bear short, robust, clavate, obtuse, equal spinelets, 
which viewed from above appear little more than large hemispherical granules. On the 
plates of the median series there may be either a double line of spinelets, the lines more 
or less unequal and irregular, or an angulated line with a few additional spinelets within 
the angle, the number varying from five to nine. On the small intermediate plates are 
not more than two or three in a group. On the broad lateral plates is a single line of six 
or seven spinelets, or an angulated and supplemented line as in the median series. About 
three spines are present on the supero-marginal plates, and seldom more than two (some- 
times three and sometimes one) on the infero-marginal series. All these spinelets are well 
spaced. All the plates are covered with thick membrane, and on this are attached 
numerous isolated, well spaced, forcipiform pedicellaria, which at first sight have the 
appearance of smaller granules accompanying the larger granules (the spines above 
described). Large papular areas occur at the angles of the plates, which fall in regular 
longitudinal lines along the ray. There are from three to five papule in each. Close to 
the margin of the papular area may be one or more very large forficiform pedicellariz. 
These are of remarkable form, and resemble two hands clasped together when the fingers 
are bent at right angles and interlocked. The jaws of the pedicellariz are longer than 
the spines on the plates and also broader. Seen in some aspects their outline suggests 
fancifully the shape of a cat’s paw with the claws exposed. These large pedicellarie are 
numerous in the interbrachial are. 
The adambulacral plates are small, and their armature consists of two short, cylin- 
drical, obtuse, equal spinelets, which radiate apart and normally form two regular longi- 
(ZOOL. CHALL. EXP.—PART LI.—1888.) 55 
