49 



TAB. XXIV. 



ASTERIAS endeca. 

 Nine-rayed Starjish, or Sea Star. 



Class 6. Yermes. Order 2. MoUusca. 



Gen. Char. Body depressed, covered with a mu- 

 ricated coiiaceous crust, sulcated beneath, with 

 tentacula. Mouth central, 5-valved. 



Spec. Char. With 9 rays, everywhere covered with 

 pectinated tubercles. 



Syn, Asterias endeca, GmeL Syst. Nat. v. 1. 3162. 

 /S. Rumph. Mils. t. IS.f.Y. 



We are indebted to the zeal and friendship of James Brodie, 

 Esq., F. L. S., for the first discovery of Asterias endeca as a 

 tiative of Great Britain. It was alive when he picked it up 

 on the Nairn coast, in the Moray Firth. It is remarkable 

 for the number of rays being mostly nine, and generally in 

 the same position, in fives, threes and ones. They are 

 thus represented in Rumphius's figure, and are so in my spe- 

 cimen ; but are said occasionally to vary in number. The back 

 is regularly covered with small, rough, somewhat pectinated 

 tubercles, and the body has nine prominences placed a 

 little above and between the divisions of the rays. It is of 

 a purplish brown colour. The under side is lighter coloured, 



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