WEST INDIAN STARFISHES 121 



Suborder NoTOMYOTA (Ludwig). 



Benthopectinidw -j- Pontasterince Verrill, Eevision Genera Starfishes, p. 217, 



1899. 

 Pararchasterinw Sladen, Asteroidea Challenger Exped., pp. xxviii and 4, 



1889. Perrier, op. cit., 1894, p. 252. 

 Notomyota Ludwig (as an order), with families CheirasteridoB and Benth- 



opectinidce Ludwig, Notomyota eine neue Ordnung der Secsterne. Sit- 

 zungsb. Kong. Preuss. Akad. Wissensch., vol. xxiii, pp. 435-466, 1910. 



Verrill, op. cit., pp. 283, 310,* 1914a (as a suborder.) 

 Benthopectinidce Fisher, op. cit., 1911b, p. 120. 



This group includes starfishes, mostly from the deep sea, hav- 

 ing long, angular, subacute rays, in which there is a dorsal pair 

 of special muscle bands running from the base to near the tip, 

 and serving to curve the rays upward over the back. The 

 podia are large and tapered, with a small terminal sucker, mar- 

 ginal plates of both rows are well developed with a tendency 

 to become more or less alternate and often oblique. Their su- 

 tures are usually more or less fasciolate. 



In the interradial angles some of the genera (e. g. Benthopec- 

 ten) have an impaired median, marginal plate in both series; 

 sometimes in only one series. Other genera have no odd plate. 

 The marginal plates usually bear one or two long spines in 

 both series and the surface is covered with acute spinules. 



Dorsal surface is covered by protopaxillae, parapaxillae, spinose 

 parapaxillae, or simple spinose plates, rarely with true paxillae. 



Papulffi may be distributed over much of the dorsal surface 

 of the rays, or may be limited to the proximal median part of 

 the rays, or concentrated in specialized areas (papularia) near 

 the base of the rays. 



Actinal interradial area is small or may be nearly abortive; 

 it is sometimes occupied by one to six or more large pectinate 

 pedicellariaB. 



Similar pectinate pedieellarise may occur between the plates, 

 on the marginals, or on the dorsal surface. Bivalve pedicel- 

 lariae occur in some genera, 



Adambulaeral plates have the inner end angular or prominent 

 and projecting into the groove. It bears a row or comb of num- 

 erous slender spines ; one, two or more larger spines stand on its 

 actinal face, and sometimes a pedicellaria. 



* Misspelled as Myonota on pages 283, 310, 311. 



