A. E. Verrill — Mevision Genera and Species of Starfishes. 213 



Perrier (1894) seems inclined to unite this with pulcher (Per.), 

 though he points out a number of diiferences. The latter is also 

 quite young. Their identity seems to me very doubtful, after a 

 comparison of the types. 



Family GONIOPECTINID-ffi Ver., nov. 



Stellate with elongated rays; marginal, adambulacral and actinal 

 plates bordered with peculiar pectinate spinules united by a web- 

 like membrane, and thus forming specialized, continuous fascicles. 

 Surface of the marginal plates usually smooth or with a few scat- 

 tered gi'anules, sometimes entirely granulated, usually cov^ered with 

 a thin membrane. 



Marginal plates large, regularly paired; the sutures corresponding 

 above and below ; sometimes they are spinose. There may be an 

 odd interradial marginal plate in each series {Prionaster) . 



Abactinal plates are paxilliform or columnar and covered with 

 small spinules. They are arranged in oblique transverse rows on the 

 rays. Actinal plates form radial series, usually double (single in 

 Craspidaster), running from the adambulacral to the marginal plates, 

 with deep fasciolated grooves between them, continuous with the 

 fasciolated grooves between the marginal plates. 



The adambulacral plates project over the ambulacral furrows, 

 forming constrictions ; they bear a curved or angular series of fur- 

 row spinules united by a basal web. 



The jaws are rather large and ver}^ prominent, with an open 

 suture. Thej^ bear two or more enlarged apical spines, and more or 

 less numerous smaller spinules on the actinal side. 



Craspidaster Sladen appears to belong to this family. 



Goniopecten demonstrans Perrier. 



Goniopecten demonstrans Per., 1881, p. 24. Etoiles de Mer, p. 249, pi. iv, tig. 

 5, 1884. Exp. Trav. et Talism., p. 295, 1894. 



Plate XXVII. Figure 5. 



The genus Goniopecten, as originally defined by Perrier, included 

 Phitonaster and other forms now regarded as very distinct genera. 



But later (1894, p. 294) he restricted the genus to the single type, 

 G. demonstrans. This was also done by me independently, in 1894 

 (p. 249). 



The genus is very peculiar in appearance, owing to the smooth 

 platts and curiously fasciolated sutural grooves. 



