SHALLOW-WATER STARFISHES 



rows. Thus its dorsal spinulation is similar in appearance to that of 

 some examples of Pisaster ochraceus. But the stout marginal spines 

 and three regular rows of actinals are arranged nearly as in the 

 typical troschelii, and its adambulacrals are irregularly diplacanthid. 

 No large, unguiculate dorsal pedicellariae were found. Although it 

 looks like a hybrid with ochraceus, it is near the type of var. alve- 

 olata. 



The dermal major pedicellariae are small, lanceolate, pointed. 

 Minute minor pedicellariae are sparsely scattered on the integument 

 of the back, and form thin wreaths around the spines, but on the 

 adambulacral and actinal spines they are abundant, forming distal 

 clusters, in which there are also a few small, scattered, pointed 

 major pedicellariae. 



The papular areas on the dorsal side are large and the papulae 

 very numerous, in large groups; between the actinal and marginal 

 rows they are large but in small clusters. 



Some other specimens of this species have the rays much shorter 

 than usual. This is the case with Nos. 1421 and 1432 (Mus. Comp. 

 Zool.) from the Gulf of Georgia. In these the dorsal spines are 

 numerous and crowded, areolated or reticulated. They somewhat 

 resemble var. alveolata, but the shortness of the rays may perhaps 

 be due to mutilation and imperfect restoration, for the rays are not 

 precisely equal. 



One of the larger specimens (about twenty inches in diameter) 

 studied by me is from Esquimault, B. C. (Prov. Mus. B. C.), sent by 

 Dr. Newcombe. 



The radii are 43 mm. and 250 mm. ; ratio, 1 : 5.8 ; breadth of rays 

 near the middle, 68 mm. to 76 mm. 



The disk and rays were evidently distended with air before drying, 

 as shown by the wide inflated form, and the widely stretched dorsal 

 papular areas; but near the tips of the rays the normal rounded 

 form is retained, with the close reticulate arrangement of the spines. 



The dorsal spines are mostly small and acute, standing on the 

 openly reticulated ossicles in short rows, the transverse rows being 

 most conspicuous, especially on sides of the rays. But there is 

 a slightly distinct medial row of somewhat larger and partly capitate 

 spines on the proximal half of the rays. The disk is coarsely reticu- 

 lated with slightly larger clavate and capitate spines. The madre- 

 porite is large, complicated, but not surrounded by any special spines 

 or grooves. 



Notwithstanding its great size, the number of rows of marginal 

 and actinal spines is not greater than in some specimens of var. sub- 



