SHALLOW-WATER STARFISHES 255 



and one or two in the middle of the star; on the disk, where they 

 are more crowded, they may have six to ten radial spinules, with two 

 or three central ones. In the smaller specimens there are fewer 

 spinules in the clusters. These spinules are decidedly larger, stouter, 

 more obtuse and less numerous than in S. endeca, and form larger 

 pseudopaxillae. On the lower side, the interradial spaces are smaller 

 than in 6\ endeca, with fewer and smaller ossicles, which are 

 roundish. Each bears a stellate group, usually with four or five taper- 

 ing spinules around the edge and one or two central ones. They are 

 rather larger than those of the dorsal surface, and much stouter and 

 fewer than the corresponding spinules of S. endeca. 



The inferomarginal plates are smaller and less prominent than in 

 S. endeca. Each bears a transverse group of about twelve to sixteen 

 spinules, mostly in two rows, similar to those of the sides and under 

 surface of the rays. 



Each adambulacral plate bears, on its inner edge, two small, short, 

 tapered, acute spines, rarely three proximally, which form a longi- 

 tudinal row ; and on the actinal surface of each, a simple transverse 

 row of about six to eight longer and larger, subequal, tapered spines, 

 with subacute tips, the inner one a little larger. These are shorter, 

 less unequal, stouter and less acute than those of S. endeca. The 

 jaws bear six strong and rather long peroral spines, the two middle 

 ones longest, the others graded ; and about six smaller graded spines 

 on each side. 



VARIATIONS. 



The largest specimen that I have seen is from Victoria (coll. C. F. 

 Newcombe, Prov. Mus. B. C). Its radii are 42 mm. to 45 mm. and 

 180 mm. to 190 mm. ; ratios, about i : 4.25. 



The ten rays are long, the distal part slender. It has been stained 

 (to imitate the natural colors) bright orange, with a central star and 

 a median band on each ray of dark purple. The dorsal, stellate 

 pseudopaxillse are larger than in the type, and not so closely 

 crowded. The larger ones (pi. XLVI, fig. ia) mostly bear five 

 divergent webbed spinules around the edge and one in the middle, 

 making a rather large, but short, regularly star-shaped group. 

 They stand in pretty regular obliquely transverse, alternating rows 

 on the sides of the rays, and in longitudinal rows on the dorsal side ; 

 also in regular quincunx order in many places on the sides. The 

 papulae mostly stand singly, but often two or three stand together, 

 especially on the disk. 



