ANNOTATED LIST. 41 
smaller, flatter ones on the distal half of the ray, if his identification is correct, I do not see 
how the specific distinctness of the two species is to be maintained. There is no doubt 
that, so far as Museum specimens show, the two are nearly allied, for specimens of mille- 
porella commonly show more or less alternation of large and small superomarginals distally. 
At the same time, I have never seen a specimen of either species which was not easily 
recognizable at a glance. 
De Loriol says (l. c.) that 6-rayed specimens are not rare, but he does not refer to 
any with a larger number of rays; he does, however, record a 4-rayed individual. Speci- 
mens in the Museum of Comparative Zodlogy from Mauritius show considerable diversity 
in form and proportions. In a few the rays are unusually narrow and the second row of 
actinolateral plates is unduly short. So far, however, as the observations made at Mer go, 
milleporella is not a very variable species. All the specimens taken were quite flat and 
broad-rayed in form and bright red in color (see pl. 7, fig. 5), lighter below and orange or 
yellowish along the ambulacral furrows; the tube-feet are reddish-yellow (pl. 7, fig. 4). 
The papule are dark purple or brown and the number and degree of distention of these 
tend to tone down the bright red of the dorsal side. The largest individual seen was only 
about 60 mm. across, and 70 mm. would seem to be about the maximum diameter for the 
species. All the specimens taken were on the under surface of rock fragments in very 
shallow water. 
Fromia balansa. 
Perrier. 1875. Rev. Stell , Arch. Zool. Exp. 4, p. 178 (442). 
Koehler. 1910. Indian Mus. Ast., p. 140, pl. xviii, figs. 7, 8. 
This species would appear to be very rare, as it is known as yet only from the holotype 
which was collected in New Caledonia in 1872 by M. Balansa and has since been in the 
Paris Museum. Koehler’s photographs are most valuable and show that the species is 
seemingly quite distinct from the other members of the genus. 
Fromia andamanensis. 
Koehler. 1909. Investigator Ast., p. 105; pl. vii, figs. 5, 6. 
This species is notable for the depth at which the holotype (and only known specimen) 
was taken, namely 238 to 290 fathoms, near the Andaman Islands. The fact that there 
is no peculiarity of structure corresponding to this unusual habitat makes one a little sus- 
picious that there is some mistake about the label, especially since there is only one speci- 
men, and the locality given is the general one, ‘‘Iles Andaman,” from which numerous 
shallow-water sea-stars are in the Indian Museum. That andamanensis is closely allied 
to milleporella is obvious, but the general facies and the presence of only 2 furrow spines 
in the adambulacral armature would seem to be quite distinctive. 
Fromia tumida. 
Bell. 1882. Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., p. 124, pl.vi, figs. 4, 4a. 
Except that it occurs in Ceylon and at the Andaman Islands, nothing is known of 
this species. The holotype and a paratype are in the British Museum. The wide, bluntly 
pointed rays are noteworthy, but the character of the actinal surface is the most unusual 
feature. Bell says: ‘‘All the plates on the actinal surface, with the exception of those of 
the marginal series, are closely covered with stout spines, from which the spines of the 
adambulacral series are distinguished by their smaller size.” That the adambulacral 
series should be the smallest on the actinal surface is certainly remarkable for in all other 
Fromias they are conspicuously longer than the granules or spinelets of the actinolateral 
plates. Bell is the only zodlogist who has met with this species and he (with his frequent if 
not customary brevity) tells us as little as possible. 
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