ANNOTATED LIST. 103 
Holotype: M. C. Z. No. 2336; underneath a coral slab, on the southwestern reef, 
Mer, Murray Islands, Torres Strait, October 25, 1913. 
The huge marginal pedicellarie and the brilliant colors combine to make this perhaps 
the most remarkable sea-star found at Mer. It is obviously closely allied to the only 
species of the genus previously known, V. striatus of Mauritius and Hawaii. It differs 
from that species not only in the coloration but in the character of the dorsal surface, which 
shows no indication of regular reticulation and is much more uniformly covered with small 
spinelets. The furrow spinelets of the adambulacral armature seem to be somewhat differ- 
ently proportioned and arranged, but without actual comparison of specimens it is hard 
to know how real this difference is. Specimens of Valvaster are so rare in museums as yet 
that we know nothing of the extent of diversity within a species. Nor do we know anything 
whatever as to the geographical distribution of these remarkable sea-stars, save that speci- 
mens have been taken at Mauritius and one has been found at the Hawaiian Islands, 
off the south coast of Oahu, in 14 fathoms. 
PTERASTERID£. 
Retaster insignis. 
Sladen. 1882. Jour. Linn. Soe. Zool., 16, p. 200.—1889. Challenger Ast., p. 482, pl. lxxvi, figs. 3, 4; pl. Ixxvii, 
figs. 11, 12. 
This species was found in Torres Strait by the Alert, by the Challenger and by Semon, 
and it was therefore a great source of regret to me that we did not meet with it. Déderlein 
thinks it is identical with R. cribrosus of the East African coast, but Fisher has compared 
specimens of the two species and says (1919) that they seem to him to be perfectly distinct. 
In any case, however, since Dr. Coppinger, of the Alert, took specimens at Port Molle, 
Retaster seems to have extended its range through Torres Strait down the eastern coast 
of Queensland for some 700 miles at least. I do not believe that the supposed record from 
Port Jackson is reliable, as Whitelegge has not seen the species there, nor did either the 
Thetis or the Endeavour obtain any specimens along the coast of New South Wales. Déder- 
lein lists Retaster from Samoa, thanks to a specimen in the Godeffroy Museum, but here 
too confirmation is needed. 
