REPORT ON THE ASTEROIDEA. 615 
possession of characters which fully warrant their separation. As now classified, the 
species present a remarkable similarity of general- facies, and the comparatively small 
amount of morphological plasticity exhibited by the genus is extraordinary, considering 
the wide geographical area over which it is distributed. The bathymetrical range is also 
remarkable, extending from the commencement of the continental zone to the greatest 
depth at which starfishes have been found. 
The genus Freyella is distinguished from the other members of the Brisingide by 
having the disk and the basal portion of the rays covered with scale-like, calcareous plates, 
frequently imbricating, and forming a more or less compact calcareous casement. The 
plates bear one or more spinelets. No papule are present. 
Synopsis of the Species included in the Genus Freyella, herein described. 
A. Rays ten or more in number. 
a. Mouth-spines free and spiniform, Abactinal plating well-developed 
and imbricating. 
a. Mouth-spines proper three or four on each plate. 
a, Adambulacral armature with the inner spine doubled. 
Rays ten in number, broad and robust . 2 . . pennata. 
8. Adambulacral armature with the inner spine single. 
Rays seventeen in number, very delicate : F . polycnema. 
6. Mouth-spines proper one or two on each plate. Adambulacral 
armature with one inner spine. Rays usually more than 
ten in number (10 to 12). 
a, Abactinal plates bearing large spinelets with mem- 
branous sheaths crowded with pedicellaria, Rays 
eleven or twelve in number , 4 A . : . echinata. 
f. Abactinal plates bearing small spinelets with simple 
membrane devoid of pedicellarie. 
i. Buccal membrane with largely developed 
papilliform villous appendages. Rays 
ten or eleven in number : , . . fragilissima. 
ii. Buecal membrane with no specially developed 
villous appendages. 
1. Rays constantly twelve in number. Spine- 
lets on the abactinal plates few, one to 
three on each. Lateral spines rather 
short and not very delicate, Outer 
mouth-spines forming a bar across the 
ambulacral furrow . : ‘ ; - bracteata. 
2. Rays ten to twelve in number. Spinelets 
on the abactinal plates more nume- 
rous, five to ten on each. Lateral 
spines long and very delicate, Outer 
mouth-spines not forming a bar across 
the ambulacral furrow. F - dimorpha. 
