20 M-. A. E. Veirill oyi some 



slioit rays, not iinconimon in the Gulf of Mexico in 25-169 

 fathoms off W. Florida (coll. 'Albatross'; type is No. 10,190, 

 Nat. Mus., 67 fathoms). 



It is o£ special interest as a o-enns more or less connecting 

 this family and the Asterinidae. Indeed, it would probably 

 be just as well placed in tlie latter. It has the form and 

 nearly the plating of Astprini'des. 



All the genera of this family discussed above have the 

 ventral or interactinal plates arranged either in rows senpil)ly 

 ])arallel to the marginal plates or else in oblique rows from 

 marginals to adanibulacrals, the two methods being much 

 alike. In Poraniella^ as in Asterinidse generally, they form 

 chevrons or rovvs parallel to the adambulacials, the largest 

 plates or longest row being next the latter. This shows a 

 very different mode of growth of the plates. 



In Puraniella there is an unpaired median plate in each 

 chevron, except the first. All these plates are rounded and 

 imbricated in alternation. They are not entirely concealed 

 by thick dermis in dry specimens, and each usually bears one 

 to several small distal spinules in a fan. 



luferomarginal plates are large, oblong, prominent, with a 

 terminal comb of slender webbed spines, four or five in the 

 type, and a low of smaller acute spinules on the upper side. 

 The superomarginals are relatively large, rounded, and have 

 one or two, rarely three, small spinules on the most convex 

 part. 



Dorsal ])lates are nearly flat, imbricated in radial rows, 

 with rounded edges exposed, much as in Asterina. They 

 mostly bear two to five small sharj) spinules at or near the edge. 

 The median row is distinct and towards the disk its plates 

 become compressed and sunken, with a row of papular pores 

 each side of it ; the basal plate is larger, as are the basal 

 interradials. Pa)mlar pores stand singly between five radial 

 rows of plates. Adambulacral plates have a regular furrow- 

 comb of three webbed spines, and two or three larger diver- 

 gent spines oi\ the actinal face, in a transverse row. The 

 dermis, in alcoholic specimens, conceals most of the plates. 

 Radii of the type, 7 mm. and 12 mm. In life it was bright 

 red. 



Poraniellaeclunulata{^Q\Y\t\,l^^l) ; 1.S84; 1894, p. 169, 

 fuller description (as Marginaster). — This West Indian 

 species should also be referred to Poraniella. 



Porania? austera, Verrill, Trans. Conn. Acad. vol. x. 

 p. 221 (1899, as Marginaster). — This does not belong to 

 Marginaster, but is probably a young Porania. The dorsal 



