EEVISIOST OF PALEOZOIC STELLEKOIDEA. 109 



PROMOPAL^ASTER SPECIOSUS (Meek). 

 Plate 14, figs. 3, 4; plate 15, figs. 1-4. 



Asterias antiquata LOCKE (not A. antiqua Troost), Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci., Phila- 

 delphia, for 1846-47, vol. 3, 1848, p. 32, fig. on p. 33. 



Palseaster antiquata HALL, Twentieth Rep. N. Y. State Cab. Nat. Hist., 1868, 

 p. 286. 



Palssaster antiquatus HALL, Twentieth Rep. N. Y. State Cab. Nat. Hist., rev. ed., 

 1868=1870, p. 328. 



Palseaster granulosus MEEK (not Hall 1868), Amer. Journ. Sci., ser. 3, vol. 4, 1872, 

 p. 276; Geol. Surv. Ohio, Pal., vol. 1, 1873, p. 60, pi. 4, figs. 3a-c. 



Palseaster speciosus MEEK, Amer. Journ. Sci., eer. 3, vol. 4, 1872, p. 277 (name at 

 end of description); Geol. Surv. Ohio, Pal., vol. 1, 1873, p. 61 (name at end 

 of description). 



Also see Promopalxaster, sp. undet., page 108. 



Original description by Meek (1873). " Attaining a large size; 

 rays (as a little depressed by accident) slightly more than twice as 

 long as their breadth at their inner ends ; and tapering regularly from 

 the disk to their free ends, which are rather acutely angular; breadth 

 of the disk a little less than that of the inner ends of the rays. Mar- 

 ginal pieces convex [bearing numerous small spines], nearly or quite 

 as long as wide, numbering on each side, in the whole length of each 

 ray (1.40 inch), 31. Adambulacral pieces, a size smaller, as long as 

 wide, convex, and numbering on each side 39 to 40; like those of the 

 [infra] marginal series, each bearing a small spine [several spines], 

 the largest of which are each about 0.14 inch in length and 0.02 inch 

 in thickness [between each two adambulacral plates just above the 

 podial opening is inserted a large and thick spine], Ambulacral 

 pieces very short, or nearly three times as wide as long, apparently 

 not alternating with the adambulacral pieces, and each provided 

 with a rather sharp ridge across nearly its entire breadth. Dorsal side 

 of disk and rays composed of small tuberculiform pieces, of which 

 about 16 rows may be counted at about half way between the inner 

 and outer ends of each ray, along the middle of which those of two 

 [always two] or three of the rows are a little larger than the others; 

 each dorsal piece bearing a minute, very short spine [they are nume- 

 rous and like those of the marginal plates]. Surface of all the pieces 

 minutely granular, one of the central granules always being somewhat 

 larger than the others for the articulation of a spine [all of these 

 granules bear spines]. Oral pieces and madreporiform body un- 

 known." 



Emended description. Rays regularly tapering. R = 44 mm., 

 r= 11 mm., R = 4r. Width of ray at base 14 mm. 



Abactinal area of rays covered by small, highly convex, tuber- 

 culated plates, each bearing numerous short slender spines. These 

 ossicles are arranged in longitudinal columns, of which there a?e 

 15 on each ray at about its mid-length. The plates of one or 



