ormuRA. 



107 



Asterias texturata, Lawk. An. s. Vert. (1816) p. 542 (pars) ; Forbes, 



Mem. Wern. Soc. viii. (1839) p. 125, pi. iv. figs. 3 & 4. 

 Ophiura texturata. Forbes, Brit. Star/. (1840) p. 22 ; Maitland, An. 



Belg. sept. (1851) p. 85; Thompson, Nat. Hist. Irel.ix. (1856) 



p. 436: Liitk. Dansk. Vid. Selsk. Skrift. v. (1859) p. 36, pi. i. 



figs. 1 a-\e. 

 Ophiura lacertosa, Norm. Ann. fy Mar/, xv. (1865) p. 112. 

 Ophioglypha lacertosa, Lym. III. Cat. M. C. Z. i. (1865) p. 40; 



Ludw. Mitth. zoo!. Stat. Neapel, i. (1879) p. 546 ; Herdm. Proc. It. 



P/n/s. Soc. Ed. v. (1880) p. 200; Leslie et id. op., cit. vi. (1881) 



p. 87; Cams, Prod. faun. Med. (1884) p. 92. 

 Asterias cordifera, Belle Chiaje, Mem. An. Nap. (1825) p. 358, 



pi. xx. tig. 12. 

 Asterias aurora, Risso, Hist. Nat. v. (1826) p. 273, fig. 29. 

 Ophiura ciliaris, Bell, Ann. # May. viii. (1891) p. 341. 



A fair-sized species. Covering-scales of disk imbricated. Radial 

 shields irregularly pyriforiri, each separated from its fellow by two 

 or three large and several smaller scales. Five teeth ; mouth- 

 papilke numerous — ten or more : the outermost the widest, the 

 innermost rather delicate. Mouth-plate very variable in form, but 

 always much longer than broad and always very large ; typically 

 constricted in its middle so as to be fiddle- or lyre-shaped ; side 

 mouth-plates small. Bursal slits long, very distinct, fringed on the 

 outer side with a large number of fine short spines. Arms 

 inserted into a wide notch in the disk, compressed from side to side 

 at the base so as to produce a mesial ridge, flattened more distally. 

 Lateral arm-plates carry seven spines, three of which are nearly 

 twice as long as the four lower, but even they are shorter than the 

 length of the plate ; the lower diminish gradually in number as the 

 distance from the disk is increased. The side arm-plates within the 

 area of the disk separate the ventral plates from one another but do 

 not meet in the middle line ; beyond the area of the disk they toucb 

 one another. The under arm-plates are much wider than long, with 

 a convex distal edge. The notch on either side of the arm is fringed 

 by more than twenty-five spines. 



Colour when dried dark slate or dirty yellow, sometimes mottled 

 with darker. "Disk is generally reddish, marbled with purple- 

 brown ; the sides white ; and the under surfaces are generally pale 

 yellowish, or white" (Forbes): the reddish hue is sometimes re- 

 tained in dried specimens. 



E=100; 72; 70. 

 r = 14: 11; 12. 



Distribution. Eastern side of North Atlantic, Mediterranean. 

 7 to 100 fms. 



a. Sound of Mull, 30 fms., May 5, 1888. John Murray, Esq. 



b-f. Loch Etive, 2o fms. John Murray, Esq. 



(j. h. Lower Loch Etive, 20-30 fms. John Murray, Esq. 



i-k. Gareloch, 18-23 fms. John Murray, Esq. 



l-it. Letweeu Sound of Sanda and Ailsa John Murray, Esq. 



Craig, March 24, 1888. 



o, p. "West coast of Scotland. John Murray, Esq. 



