Indian Deep-sea Asteroidea. 77 



of the rays, reaching to the level of the fourth marg-inal 

 plate. 



Bay of Beng-al, Carpenter's Ridge, 1520 fathoms, Glohi- 

 gerlna-oozQ. 



3. Pararchaster violaceus, sp. n. 



Eays 5. R = 9-10 r. R = about 100 millira. in the 

 type specimen. 



Disk very small ; rays depressed, very long, tapering. 



Abactinal surface covered with close-set noduhir plates of 

 unequal size, each of which bears from two to four minute 

 capiUary spinelets, visible only with a lens on the rays, but 

 plain to the naked eye on the disk, where a few in the centre 

 become distinct spines. 



Supero-marginal plates more tlian 35, entirely lateral and 

 slightly oblique, elongate, rudely oval, tumid ; each with a 

 central tubercle, bearing a very stout and sharp spine 

 surrounded at its base by three to five spinelets, one or two ot 

 which are usually large ; the odd interbrachial plate is a 

 salient eminence which supports a spike of preeminent size 

 rising out of a circle of large spinelets. 



Infero-marginal plates alternate with the supero-marginals 

 and oblique, elongate, pyriform, tumid; each with two stout 

 sharp spines, of which the upper is nearly equal in size to 

 and the lower about half the size of the supero-marginal 

 spine, and with several distant spinelets ; in the interbrachial 

 arcs the spaces between the plates to the number of four are 

 occupied each by a large pectinate pedicellaria. 



Adambulacral plates large, broad, tumid ; each with a 

 furrow-series of seven or eight obtuse spinelets in a semi- 

 circular comb, and actinally with two large spinelets. Mouth- 

 plates large, each with a furrow-series of seven or eight 

 spinelets, increasing in size from periphery to centre, and with 

 a suture-series of two much larger spinelets. 



Actinal interradial areas extremely small, with apparently 

 in each area only two pairs of distantly spinate plates and a 

 large pectinate pedicellaria between each pair. 



Anus subcentral and very distinct. Madreporiforra plate 

 rather large, strongly convex, with close radial striations. 



Ambulacral furrow narrow. 



Papulae confined to oval areas quite at the base of the rays, 

 reaching only to the level of the second marginal plate. 



Colours in the fresh state delicate pink, with the disk 

 violet owing to the mud contained in the stomach and ita 

 ca3ca. 



