Veerill.^ — Descriptions of new Star -^fishes from New Zealand. 279 



united beneath by a group of inter-radial plates. Inter- ambulacral plates 

 umted directly to the first row of ventral plates, and these to a second row 

 of larger plates without the intervention of open spaces like those seen in 

 Asterias. Dorsal surface with large, strong, imbricated, irregularly arranged 

 ossicles or plates, bearing short, very numerous spines. 



This species is more closely allied to Asterias (Asteracanthion) than to 

 Heliaster, and approaches still nearer to Stichaster, but appears very distinct 

 from either. The excessive development of the abactinial system over the 

 ambulacral is its most remarkable characteristic. In this respect it con- 

 trasts strongly with the next genus. The form and general aspect is that 

 of Sol aster, 

 CoeLASTEBiAs AusTRALis, VerriU. 



Eays eleven, in the only specimen seen, large, inflated, rounded, taper- 

 ing rapidly to the end. Disk of moderate size, swollen ; radius of disk to 

 length of rays, measuring from the centre, as 2:6. The triangular inter- 

 radial space beneath is occupied by a cluster of irregular stout plates, 

 mostly without spines. Ambulacral grooves relatively narrow and shallow, 

 the pores small and crowded, in four well-marked rows. The inter-ambu- 

 lacral plates usually bear alternately one and two spines, which are long 

 and rather slender towards the mouth, but short, thick, and obtuse towards 

 the end of the ray, and much crowded in indistinct rows. The next row of 

 plates is united directly to these, and the plates are small, longest length- 

 wise of the ray, and each bears a short, thick, spine but little larger than 

 the preceding, and forming a regular, rather open row. Exterior to these 

 is another ventral row of large, strong, imbricated, prominent plates, each 

 bearing at its summit two very thick, short, obtuse spines, much larger than 

 the inter-ambulacral ones, and arranged in a single row, and on their ex- 

 ternal side each plate usually supports two or more short, rounded, much 

 smaller spines, the largest of which usually form a regular row. The plates 

 of the first lateral row are much elongated transversely to the ray, imbri- 

 cated and strong, and so united to the ventral as to leave large openings 

 between ; each bears about twelve small, short, rounded, clavate spines, 

 which are placed along the plates in single or double rows transverse to the 

 ray. The plates of the median dorsal row have a similar form, and bear a 

 similar transverse row of spines, which are somewhat larger. Between 

 these and the first row of lateral plates the plates are irregular in form and 

 arrangement, but short and imbricated, with unequal openings between, 

 forming about five indistinct rows, all covered with groups of short sub- 

 globular spines, giving an even appearance to the surface, but with large 

 vacant spaces between. Madreporic plate, small, of fine texture, situated a 

 little nearer to the centre of the disk than its edge. Minor pedicellarise few, 



