68 THE ECHINODERMS OF TORRES STRAIT. 
Since the species is said to be ‘‘apparently one of the commonest Asteroids on the 
coast”’ and the observations were based on ‘‘numerous specimens,” it is evident that the 
coloration was a constant feature. Only further study of living material at Zanzibar or 
Mauritius will solve the problem of the true status of diplax. It has been recorded from 
many stations between Portuguese East Africa and Hawaii and the Paumotus inclusive, 
but how many of these references are to the sea-star collected by Simpson and Brown 
and how many refer to guildingii it is impossible to even guess. It is of course open to 
question whether the species of Simpson and Brown is really the diplax of Miiller and Tros- 
chel, but there is no good reason why it may not bear the name for the present. 
Linckia bouviert. 
Linckia bouvieri Perrier. 1875. Arch. Zool. Exp., 4, p. 150. 
Linckia nodosa Perrier. 1875. Arch. Zool. Exp., 4, p. 153.—Verrill. 1915. Univ. Iowa, Bull. Lab. Nat. Hist., 
7, p. 93, pl. xiii, figs. 2, 2a; pl. xxix, figs. la, 1b. 
It seems incredible that Perrier should have described two consecutive species which 
are indistinguishable, but I have sought in vain for any way by which nodosa is to be 
distinguished from bouvieri. The number of marginals will not do, because while the large 
specimen of bouviert had 45 and the type of nodosa about 60, each having R =91, a specimen 
in the Museum of Comparative Zoélogy with R =91 mm. has about 53 marginals and hence 
might be either. This specimen is of further interest because it was in Perrier’s hands 
when he described his two species and he first labeled it bouviert. Subsequently he drew a 
line through the specific name and substituted nodosa. 
This species is known from the vicinity of Florida and Cuba and from the Cape Verde 
Islands and Sao Thomé. The bathymetrical range is notable for a Linckia, 6 to 130 fathoms. 
Verrill’s (1915, op. cit., p. 96) statement that the Blake took nodosa ‘‘off Moro Light, in 
250 to 400 fathoms; off Tortuga I., Antilles, in 6 fathoms” is based on a misreading of 
labels. The specimens concerned were taken by Pourtales in January 1869, near the Tor- 
tugas in 6 fathoms, not by the Blake at all. The label says ‘““No. 100” and Verrill construed 
that as meaning Blake Station 100, which is ‘‘off Moro Castle, 250 to 400 fathoms.” One 
of these specimens has R=15 mm., the other has R=22 mm. They are readily distin- 
guished from guildingii of a similar size by the large tubercle-like granules on the distal 
marginal plates, as well as by the much bigger dorsal plates. The largest specimen recorded 
of this species has R=125 mm. Nothing is known of the color in life of specimens from 
the West Indian region, but those from the eastern Atlantic are ‘‘violet’”’ when ‘‘fresh.” 
Linckia tyloplax. 
H. L. Clark. 1914. Rec. W. Aust. Mus., 1, p. 147, pl. xx. 
This remarkable linckiid differs so much from the other members of the present genus, 
it might well be made the type of a new one. But such action had better await further 
material. The most striking feature is the presence of well-marked actinal papule, but 
the numerous swollen abactinal plates of markedly darker color than the interspaces give 
a very characteristic appearance. The species is from deep water, 80 to 120 fathoms, 
off the western Australian coast and reaches a large size, the holotype having R =150 mm. 
It would be of great interest to know the color in life. 
PHATARIA. 
Gray. 1840. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., 6, p. 285. As a subgenus of Linckia. 
Sladen. 1889. Challenger Ast., p. 398. Asa genus. 
Genotype: Linckia unifascialis Gray, 1840, 1. c. Only two species are named in the 
subgenus and it is now generally agreed that they are synonymous. 
Not only is this genus monotypic but its geographical range is very limited. 
