SHALLOW-WATER STARFISHES 139 



divergent spines. The peroral and adoral spines are all small and 

 slender, as in the young of the more typical forms. 



Gape Fox and Sitka (Harriman Expedition) ; Queen Charlotte 

 Islands (Canadian Geological Survey). 



This variety, which is remarkable for its small and uniformly 

 crowded spinules, is liable to be mistaken for L. aqualis, which it 

 closely resembles dorsally. It can easily be distinguished by its 

 much feebler oral spines, which in the latter are larger and stronger 

 than usual in this group. 



Variety REGULARIS Verrill, nov. 



Rays usually six, longer and more slender than usual, regularly 

 rounded and gradually tapered. Radii, 6 mm. and 25 mm. Dorsal 

 spines numerous, but not crowded, nearly all capitate, and less 

 unequal in size than in most varieties. The dorsal radial row is *" 7 

 distinct, each ossicle bearing two to four spines ; two or three stand 

 together on many other ossicles. Both marginal rows and one inter- 

 actinal row mostly simple, one spine to a plate. Adambulacral, 

 adoral, and oral spines as in other varieties. The second short 

 interactinal row of ossicles, bearing spines, is not present, as it is 

 usually in other varieties when of the same size, and this is prob- 

 ably the cause of the slenderness of the rays. 



Cape Fox, Alaska (Harriman Expedition). 



Variety SUBREGULARIS Verrill, nov. 



The type is a small six-rayed specimen from Sitka, Alaska (Prof. 

 W. R. Coe, Harriman Expedition). It has the same form as *-/*' 

 alaskensis. Its marginal spines are different. The superomarginal W^ &** 

 row is regular and nearly simple, only one spine usually standing on 

 a plate ; these spines are unusually large for this group, stout, capi- 

 tate, well spaced. The inferomarginals are similar, but a little 

 longer. There are two interactinal rows. 



The dorsal spines are short, thick, mammilliform or capitate; the 

 larger ones form a distinct median row; others, similar, are scat- 

 tered, and not numerous. The papular areas are large. The adam- 

 bulacral spines are rather stout, subclavate, irregularly subdipla- 

 canthid. 



Variety SUBNODULOSA Verrill, nov. 



At first sight this variety might easily be mistaken for the young 

 of Pisaster ochraceus, on account of the conspicuous and prominent 

 clusters of capitate spines scattered over the dorsal surface, but they 

 do not form reticulations. 



