SHALLOW-WATER STARFISHES 307 



The disk is large, rather plump in life, with five short, tapering 

 rays (rarely six), but the length of the rays is subject to considerable 

 variation. The radii of a short-rayed Alaskan specimen measure 

 50 mm. and 120 mm. A long-rayed one, from the same place, 

 measures 35 mm. and 1 10 mm. 



Surface smooth and lubricous in life, owing to the thick, soft 

 skin. When dried, the ossicles are more or less distinctly visible 

 on both sides. Those of the back have a rather regular stellate 

 arrangement on the disk and bases of the rays. 



Many specimens have numerous small, scattered, dermal dorsal 

 pedicellariae, mostly bivalve or trivalve, but often quadrivalve, as 

 described above, under the genus. In many specimens they are 

 lacking. 



Larger ventral pedicellariae are often present. In most cases they 

 form a single row, more or less concealed under the free edge of the 

 dermal membrane in dried specimens. In nearly all cases they take 

 the place of the outer row of adambulacral spines, for they occupy 

 the same position on the plate. Spines are absent when pedicellariae 

 are present ; sometimes the latter will form regular rows for half the 

 length of the grooves, and then spines will take their place on the 

 distal half, or they may alternate irregularly with spines. The 

 breadth of these pedicellariae is almost the same as that of the spines, 

 but they are not half as long. Many specimens lack these ventral 

 pedicellariae entirely. 



In one lot of twenty-three dried specimens from Sitka, four had 

 few or no dorsal pedicellariae ; nineteen had dorsal pedicellariae ; five 

 of these had large numbers ; twelve had them both on the dorsal and 

 on the ventral side ; five had numerous actinal ones. 



Their presence does not depend upon age, for they are lacking 

 on some of the largest specimens, while they are numerous on others. 

 They are abundant on some of the young ones, about 60 mm. in 

 diameter. 



The color, in life, according to Prof. W. R. Coe, is deep orange 

 to dull red. 



One small, six-rayed example was found by Professor Coe (pi. vi, 

 fig- 3) J its ra dii are 7 mm - an d 14 mm. 



This species is common from Monterey Bay, California, to middle 

 Alaska. Numerous specimens were collected at Sitka, etc., by Prof. 

 W. R. Coe, on the Harriman Expedition. It lives at and just below 

 low tide. It is also common in Puget Sound, whence I have seen 

 many specimens. Several large specimens have been sent to me by 



