ANNOTATED LIST. 83 
Ophidiaster confertus. 
H. L. Clark. 1916. Endeavour Rep., p. 53, pl. xv, figs. 1, 2. 
This species, known as yet only from Lord Howe Island, has very characteristic 
pedicellariz which distinguish it readily from its nearest allies. It is one of the larger 
species of the genus (R =80 mm. or more). The dry specimens are yellow-brown but noth- 
ing is recorded of the color in life. 
Ophidiaster agassizii. 
Perrier. 1881. Bull. M. C. Z., 9, p. 10. 
This species has been taken as yet only at the island of Juan Fernandez. While 
allied to both the preceding and following species, it is perfectly distinct from each. 
Ophidiaster kermadecensis. 
Benham. 1911. Trans. Proc. N. Z. Inst., 43, p. 148, with figures. 
The admirable account given of this fine species by Benham leaves nothing to be 
desired. It is known only from Raoul Island, Kermadecs, and the adjoining Meyer Islet. 
It reaches a large size (R =120 mm.) and the color in life is bright orange. 
Ophidiaster pustulatus. 
Linckia pustulata von Martens. 1866. Arch. f. Naturg. 32, pt. 1, p. 62. 
Ophidiaster purpureus Perrier. 1869. Ann. Sci. Nat., 12, p. 253.—De Loriol. 1885. Mem. Soc. Phys. Hist. 
Nat. Genéve, 29, No. 4, p. 22, pl. xiv, figs. 3-3h. 
Ophidiaster pustulatus Perrier. 1878. Nouv. Arch. Mus. (2), 7, p. 18. 
Déderlein (1896, p. 317) has definitely shown what some earlier writers intimated, 
that pustulatus and purpureus are identical. The species is a relatively small one, with 
R less than 60 mm. Von Martens says the color in life is clear purplish-red with deep-red 
cross-bands. De Loriol gives the color of preserved specimens (dry) as deep purple tinged 
with brown and blotched here and there with yellowish. The known range is from Mauri- 
tius to Amboina. 
Ophidiaster squameus. 
Fisher. 1906. Bull. U.S. Fish Comm. for 1903, p. 1079, pl. xxxi, figs. 6-6b; pl. xxxvii, fig. 4. 
(Plate 8, Figure 2.) 
The original specimens of this species were very small (R =19 mm. or less) and were 
taken in 18 to 151 fathoms in the Hawaiian Islands. The color in life is said to have been 
vermilion. On the southwestern reef at Mer I found two specimens of an Ophidiaster 
which Dr. Fisher suggests to me are the adults of sguameus. Certainly it is impossible to 
point out any distinguishing character, but I am not sure that, were Hawaiian specimens, 
as large as those from Mer, available for comparison, we should find them conspecific. 
The Murray Islands specimens have R =47 and 53 mm., while br is 9 mm. or more; owing 
to a marked difference in the degree of contraction of the disk when preserved, one has 
R =9r, while in the other R is only a little more than 7r. This is a good illustration of the 
fact that the proportion of R to r when measured on preserved material must be used with 
caution for a specific character. The specimens of sguameus found at Mer were very hand- 
somely variegated (pl. 8, fig. 2) with red, reddish, and whitish. The dry specimens are 
dull orange-red blotched with a dark brick-red. There is a small specimen (R =23 mm.) 
of squameus in the Museum of Comparative Zodlogy from the Paumotus, collected by the 
Albatross in 1899 and identified by Ludwig as Ophidiaster cylindricus. 
