REPORT ON THE ASTEROIDEA, 575 
chocolate brown, the colour extending on the actinal surface up to the median longi- 
tudinal series of spines borne on the infero-marginal plates. 
Young Phase-——In the young form of this species the rays are not so strikingly 
angular at the margin as in the adult. In a small example in which R measures 10 mm., 
the armature of the adambulacral plates appears to form only a single series. The two 
obliquely placed spines on the infero-marginal plates which form the conspicuous inter- 
mediate series on the actinal surface of the adult, are at this stage quite at the margin, 
and the spines appear large and robust in relation to the size of the starfish. The supero- 
marginal plates bear each a single spinelet. The spinulation of the abactinal surface 
already shows the character of the adult. 
In a rather larger stage, when R measures.15 mm., a second spinelet is beginning to 
be developed on alternate adambulacral plates, but it is as yet only very small, and the 
inner spinelet on these plates is more inclined over the furrow than the single spinelet on 
the alternate plates, which causes the appearance of two alternating series of spinelets. 
The infero-marginal spines have not yet left their marginal position. 
Locality.—Stations 233 and 2334. Off Kobé and Awadji Sima, Japan. Depth 8 to 
50 fathoms. Mud and sand. 
Remarks.—This species is a near ally of Asterias amurensis; the difference, however, 
in the armature of the supero-marginal plates, the character of the adambulacral armature, 
and the prominence of the abactinal spinelets appear to me to justify their being regarded 
as distinct species. 
8. Asterias amurensis, Liitken. 
Asterias amurensts, Liitken, 1876, Videnskab. Medd. naturh. Foren. i Kjobenhavn, p. 296. 
Locality.— Yokohama, Japan. Depth 5 to 25 fathoms. 
Remarks.—I have referred several specimens collected at Yokohama to Liitken’s 
species, although they do not seem to present some of the characters mentioned in his 
description so strongly marked as in the types which I had the opportunity of examining 
in Copenhagen, and in other examples which I have seen elsewhere. They appear to me 
to hold an intermediate position in some respects between the typical form of Asterias 
amurensis and Asterias versicolor, and I am inclined to think that they may represent 
a locational variety. ‘The species, however, is one which shows considerable variation, and 
I do not feel that the material at my disposal is sufficient to enable me to do more at 
present than place on record the opinions above expressed. 
It is probable that some of the starfishes from Japan which have been referred to 
Asterias rubens belong either to Asterias amurensis or Asterias versicolor; and others 
are examples of the species described above (p. 570) under the name of Asterias torquata. 
