44 THE ECHINODERMS OF TORRES STRAIT. 
ously larger and more separated. Superomarginals 25 to 27, wider (or higher) than long, 
though a few tend to be squarish; the series diminishes distally with a fair degree of uni- 
formity; on the last 9 or 10 the central granules become increasingly conspicuous, but even 
at the very tip of the ray they are not large enough to be called tubercles. Terminal plate 
moderately large, swollen, but completely covered by very coarse granules. Inferomar- 
ginals correspond in number and position more or less exactly with the upper series, but 
they are distinctly smaller and, as this is due to a lesser width, some of them are noticeably 
longer than wide; the distal ones have the central granules markedly enlarged. Actino- 
lateral plates in 3 series, but the outermost is very poorly developed and does not extend 
beyond the sixth inferomarginal; the second series is fairly well developed and extends 
to the fourteenth inferomarginal; the first series almost reaches the end of the ray; the 
granulation on the actinolaterals is distinctly coarser than on the inferomarginals. Papulze 
of abactinal surface rather small, irregularly scattered, and reaching almost to terminal 
plate; on actinal surface they are larger and form two very distinct series at base of ray; 
intermarginal papule well developed; nowhere are the papule surrounded by specialized 
granules. No pedicellarie anywhere. Madreporite small and inconspicuous, half-way 
between disk-center and margin. 
Adambulacral plates small and numerous, 2 or rarely 3 to each inferomarginal. Arma- 
ture in 3 series; furrow series of 2 subequal flattened spinelets, with bluntly rounded tips; 
subambulacral series of 2 shorter, thicker, and blunter, more tubercle-like spines; on outer 
margin of plate is a pair of (or occasionally only one) similar but smaller tubercles or 
coarse granules, little larger, if any, than those on the actinolateral plates. Oral plates 
small, each with 4 marginal and 2 suboral spines, which are similar to the furrow spines 
but less flattened, and are the largest spines on the animal. Color in life (pl. 7, fig. 3) 
bright brown, the interspaces between plates purple-black, in sharp and beautiful contrast, 
giving a peculiarly elegant appearance to the abactinal surface. Ambulacral and oral 
spines reddish, dull and light; feet translucent yellowish; papule translucent gray. Alcohol 
tends to turn the specimens red and destroys the distinctness of the network of dark lines. 
Holotype, M. C. Z. No. 2306; reef flat, Mer, Murray Islands, Torres Strait. 
This fine species occurred in similar situations at Mer with F. milleporella, though 
they did not actually occur under the same rock fragment. It was not very common, only 
8 specimens being taken; one of these is perfectly tetramerous. The largest is the holotype, 
while the smallest has R=18 mm., r=5 mm., and br=5 mm.; the rays are thus somewhat 
shorter and wider than in the adult. In this half-grown specimen, there are two irregular 
series of large plates on abactinal surface of each ray, with only a very few small plates, 
but only on the distal half of the arm are any of the large plates markedly convex; the inter- 
radial plates are conspicuously large but quite flat; the madreporite occupies only a part 
of its interradial; the second series of actinolateral plates is little developed and the single 
series of papule only reaches the eighth of the 14 inferomarginals. In a specimen with 
R=26 mm. the second series of actinolaterals is well developed. 
At any stage, after it is half-grown, elegans is unmistakable because of the distinctness 
of the plate-groups of coarse granules, the more or less terete rays, the adambulacral arma- 
ture, the terminal plates being covered with large granules, and the correspondence in 
number and position between the two series of marginal plates. It is not nearly related 
to any other member of the genus but stands rather apart by itself. 
Fromia eusticha. 
Fisher. 1913. Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus., 46, p. 213.—1919. Bull. 100 U. S. Nat. Mus., p. 375; pl. 95, fig. 2; pl. 105, 
fig. 1; pl. 106, fig. 1; pl. 107, figs. 3, 5. 
This species differs notably from the other members of the genus in the presence of 
numerous pedicellariz, which Fisher describes as ‘‘granuliform, 2- or 3-jawed, from 2 to 5 
