116 University of California Publications in Geology [Vol. 12 



poriferous area ; poriferous areas of the odd petal exceedingly narrow, 

 each being about one-eighth the width of the interporiferous area. 

 Inferior surface very slightly concave to the peristome. The latter 

 is small and round. Dichotomously branching ambulacral furrows 

 extend in well marked lines from the peristome to the margin, but 

 become less distinct toward their extremities, especially those of the 

 odd anterior set. Periproct small, subcircular, inframarginal, and 

 placed about twice its own diameter from the edge of the test. Fine 

 tubercles entirely cover the test. The test of this species is relatively 

 more elevated in the younger than the older specimens. 



Related forms. — Bendraster ashleyi may be distinguished from 

 D. gibhsii (Remond) by its thiimer test; and from other dendrasters 

 by its extremely eccentric apical system and widely divergent petals 

 of the bivium. It is closely allied to D. gibhsii, from which it probably 

 descended. 



Geologic horizon. — Upper Etchegoin and Upper Fernando forma- 

 tions, Middle and Upper Pliocene. 



Localities. — Figured specimen from Purisima Hills near Lompoc, 

 Santa Barbara County, California, Univ. of Calif, loc. 3130 (Standard 

 Oil Co. loc. 344) ; Graeiosa Ridge near Orcutt (Arnold type) ; Sargent 

 Oil Fields, Santa Clara County; Coalinga district, Fresno County, 

 California. 



DENDEASTER ASHLEYI YNEZENSIS Kew, n. var. 

 Plate 36, figures 2a, 2b 



Holotype.—m. 11334 Univ. Calif. Coll. Invert. Pal. 



This is very closely allied to Bendraster ashleyi (Arnold) because 

 of its wide odd anterior ambulacral petal and great angular diverg- 

 ence of the petals of the bivium, but differs in that the apical system 

 is less eccentric, and in that the test has a more nearly elliptical out- 

 line, the transverse diameter being the greater. Its size is usually 

 larger than that of B. ashleyi. 



Geologic horizon. — Upper Fernando formation. Upper Pliocene. 



Locality. — Santa Ynez River district, Santa Barbara County, Cali- 

 fornia, Univ. Calif, loc. 3128 (holotype). 



