WEST INDIAN STARFISHES 21 



One of the types of this supposed species was a re^larly five- 

 rayed specimen from Cuba. It differs sufficiently from the ord- 

 inary form of the species to receive a varietal name, and there- 

 fore I propose to designate it as above. 



The rays of the type of this form are decidedly angular, rel- 

 atively shorter and stouter than in the ordinary form. The 

 median radial and two marginal rows of spines and plates are 

 strongly developed, and one dorso-lateral row is less so. The 

 adambulaeral spines are monacanthid, as in the typical form. 

 The dorsal and marginal spines are shorter and stouter than in 

 the latter. 



The type was from Cuba. I am not prepared to say that the 

 other American forms are fully identical with those of Europe, 

 for I have never been able to study a good series of both in any 

 museum. Valid specific characters may have been overlooked 

 by authors who unite them. 



CosciNASTERiAS LiNEAKis (Pcrrier) Verrill. 



Asterias linearis Perrier, op. cit., p. 2, 1881; Etoiles de Mer, p. 201, pi. 

 iii, fig. 5, 1884. 



The type of this species is small and evidently young. It is 

 monacanthid and evidently a Coscinasterias. It may, perhaps, 

 prove to be the young of C. tenuispina when a good series can be 

 studied. 



The type had the radii 5™°^ and 50°^ ; ratio, 1 :10. The rays 

 are five, slender, angular. The dorsal side of the rays has three 

 rows of plates, each of which bears a single elongated spine, thus 

 forming three longitudinal rows of spines. There are three rows 

 of ventral spines. The outer one forms the lateral, larger (in- 

 feromarginal) row of spines. Between these and the upper lat- 

 eral row are large isolated papulae ; on the dorsal side the papulas 

 are smaller and clustered. There appear to be two rows of in- 

 teractinal spines proximally. Major pedicellaria?, elongated in 

 form, were found on the disk. 



Adambulaeral spines are one to a plate. They are straight 

 and not tapered. (Condensed from Perrier 's description.) The 

 type was from Blake station 45, in 101 fathoms, off West Florida. 



