160 A. E. Verrill — Revision Genera and Species of Starfishes. 



Tosia Gray, emended. 



The genus Tosia, as here limited, will include not only the typical 

 group of species named by Gray, in which more or less of the marginal 

 and abactinal plates are naked in the middle, but also those that are 

 granulated over the whole surface, as in granularis and its allies, the 

 extent of the granulation having been found to be variable in many 

 species. In each section there are species with pedicellarise and 

 others in which they appear to be lacking. 



The marginal plates are regular and generally correspond pretty 

 closely in the upper and lower series, except distally ; an odd inter- 

 radial plate sometimes occurs abnormally. Apical plate small. 



The abactinal plates of the radial areas are polygonal, most often 

 hexagonal, or roundish, crowded pretty closely together, without 

 distinct, intervening, connecting ossicles and without secondary 

 plates of small size. 



The papular pores are usually rather numerous, generally placed 

 singly in the angles between the plates of the basal radial areas, and 

 sometimes on the central part of the disk, but not on the triangular 

 interradial areas, where the plates are angular and closely in con- 

 tact. The pedicellariffi when present are small, elevated, usually 

 with two spatulate blades, higher than broad, and often set in 

 special pits of corresponding shape. They may occur on any or all 

 the kinds of plates, either above or below, or on both sides. 



The adambulacral spinules are numerous and croAvded, and grade 

 into the actinal granulation ; the furrow-series form a simple row, 

 usually not much longer than those of the next series and not 

 separated from them by a wide space. Distally some of the spines 

 of the second series usuall}'^ become much longer than the rest. 



In the following table we give an arrangement of most of the 

 figured species of Tosia, in sections and sub-sections. 



Section A. — Typical. Distribution Indo-Pacific and Australian. 



More or less of the marginal and abactinal plates are naked in the 

 center, margined by one or two rows of granules. Adambulacral 

 plates narrow, each with few spinules, usually only two or three in 

 the furrow-series. 



Pedicellariffi absent or not recorded in most species. Only one or two 

 of the distal, dorsal, marginal plates are lasually in contact medially. 



h. — The actinal as well as abactinal and marginal plates are usually 

 naked centrally. 



T. australis Gray, Synop., p. 11, pi. 16, fig. 1, West Australia. 



T. rubra Gray, Synop., p. 11, pi. 16, fig. 3. Australia. 



T tuhercularis Gray, Synop., p. 11, pi. 16, fig. 4. Australia. 



