SHALLOW-WATER STARFISHES T63 



EVASTERIAS TROSCHELII Var. SUBNODOSA Verrill, nov. 



Several specimens, mostly of rather small size, differ from the 

 ordinary variety so much in appearance that they seem to deserve a 

 varietal name, though intermediate specimens occur. In its extreme 

 form small specimens of this variety closely resemble some five-rayed 

 varieties of L. epichlora, especially on the upper side. Others, 

 70 mm. to 80 mm. in diameter, so closely resemble dorsally the young 

 of Pisaster ochraceus as to be readily mistaken for that species ; but 

 they can easily be distinguished by the subdiplacanthid adambulacral 

 spines, slender actinal spines, and the small pedicellariae. 



The special features of this variety are the conspicuously clustered 

 cr somewhat acervate arrangement of the dorsal spines, some of 

 which are larger and thicker than usual, with strongly capitate and 

 more or less flat-topped tips, while there are minute rows of much 

 smaller clavate and capitate spines scattered between them and partly 

 on the skeletal network ; the very smallest are often acute. 



All of the spines, above and below, bear large clusters of minor 

 pedicellariae, and small dermal clusters are abundantly scattered on 

 the back, so that, in alcohol, the dermis and most of the smaller 

 spines are quite concealed by them, and the papulae. 



The two rows of marginal and two to four rows of actinal spines 

 are pretty uniform in diameter and regular, but usually crowded, in 

 arrangement ; they are nearly as stout as the larger dorsals and 

 somewhat longer, the inferomarginals and actinals being longer than 

 the superomarginals, and a little curved upward. They are mostly 

 a little clavate and obtuse. In the larger examples the inferomar- 

 ginal and actinal rows become double, so that there may be six or 

 seven rows. The adambulacral spines are crowded, terete, obtuse, 

 becoming, as usual in all varieties of this species, distinctly longer 

 and more slender toward the mouth; they are loaded with clusters 

 of small pedicellariae and are irregularly diplacanthid. 



One typical specimen from Wrangel, Alaska, has the radii lo mm. 

 and 60 mm. ; ratio, i : 6. Another from Victoria, Vancouver Island 

 (Prov. Mus. B. C), has the radii 22 mm. and 137 mm.; ratio, 

 1 : 6.23. 



EVASTERIAS TROSCHELII Var. PARVISPINA Verrill, nov. 



Plate cvi, figures i, 2. 

 Rays five, in the type ; firm, rather short, round and plump, taper- 

 ing rather rapidly distally. Radii, 6 mm. and 28 mm. The whole 

 upper surface in alcoholic specimens is nearly uniformly concealed 



