206 A. E. VerrUl — Revision Genera and Species of Starfishes. 



probably in the collections sent to various museums by the U. S. 

 Fish Commission and National Museum. Two examples of another 

 new species was also discovered in the same collections, I have, 

 therefore, thought it desirable to prepare comparative descriptions 

 of these two new species, and to give morphological figures of the 

 three forms, for comparison. 



Odontaster hispidus Verrill. 



Odontaster hispidus Verrill, Amer. Joum. Sci., vol. xx, p. 402, 1880. Proc. 

 U. S. Nat. Mus., vol. xvii, p. 263, 1894. Amer. Journ. Sci., vol. xlix, p. 

 136, 1895. 



Plate XXIX. Figures 3, 3a. 



Form depressed, stellate, with a rather broad disk. Radii vary 

 in proportion from 1:2 to 1:3. The rays taper regularly and are 

 subacute. 



The marginal plates are only moderately developed and do not 

 encroach much on the disk, either above or below. In large exam- 

 ples there are about 37 to 39 on a side, in each series. They are 

 convex and separated by wide and rather deep sutural grooves. 

 The upper and lower pearly coincide. The upper ones are squarish, 

 wfth rounded angles ; the lower ones, along the disk margin, are 

 higher than long. The odd interradial one is somewhat wedge- 

 shaped, and only a little smaller than those adjacent to it. 



The marginal plates of both series are densely covered with small 

 elongated, divergent spinules which over-arch and partly conceal 

 the sutural furrows. The spinules on the upper plates are slender 

 and acute. Those on the lower plates, especially those on the 

 actinal side, are longer and much stouter, terete and tapered, sub- 

 acute or acute. When the spinules are removed the marginal plates 

 are covered with small hemispherical elevations, where the spinules 

 were attached. Those of the upper plates are smaller and more 

 crowded. 



The abactinal plates are round at top, convex, well separated ; 

 those of the radial areas and center of the disk are elevated, with a 

 somewhat capitate round top, which is covered by a dense cluster of 

 slender, elongated, acute divergent spinules. 



Between most of the radial plates, over a large area, there are 

 moderately large papular pores, about six around each plate, placed 

 singly in most cases. 



Smaller pores are scattered over the center of the disk, but they 

 are absent from the small interradial areas and from the distal part 

 of the rays. 



