426 



ME. W. P. BLADEN ON THE ASTEROIDEA. 



Two very young Astropectem, measuriug respectively 10*5 

 millims. and 8 millims. in their greatest diameters, seem to belong 

 to this species. The relative characters of the disk and rays, the 

 arrangement of the foot-papillae, the armature of the ventro-mar- 

 ginal plates, and the paxillee of the dorsal surface present only 

 Buch differences as might be expected in the premature condi- 

 tions of the Astropecten above described. The inner row of foot- 

 papillae consists of three spinules as in the adult form ; but in the 

 outer series there are only two on the outer portion of the fur- 

 row, and three on the inner ; their arrangement, however, being 

 such as to leave little doubt, when comparison is made with the 

 different portions of the furrow in the largest specimen, that they 

 belong to one and the same species. On the marginal plates of 

 the smaller specimen there is only one spine ; but on the larger 

 there seems indications here and there of the future development, 

 out of the plate armature, of the larger companion spines. The 

 paxillae are large and much simpler than in the adult, having fewer 

 radii. 



Although these juveniles were dredged on different occasions — 

 one being taken off the Korea at the depth of 54 fathoms, and 

 the other off "W. coast of Niphon, 60 fathoms — they both agree 

 in the singular circumstance of having gorged a small bivalve ! 

 and in each case apparently of the same species. In the larger 

 of the two young starfish the distention of the test and the 

 position of the shell lead to the supposition that the diminu- 

 tive gourmand had fallen a martyr to the indulgence of its appe- 

 tite ! 



This Astropecten bears some resemblance to certain examples 

 of the northern form known as Astr. Mulleri,M. & T. ; regarding 

 that, however, as an extreme variation of A. irregularis, the dif- 

 ferences presented by the Asteroids at present under considera- 

 tion are such as to justify the opinion that they should be classed 

 (provisionally at any rate) as distinct from that species. It would 

 not, however, be surprising to find, from the examination of a 

 larger supply of material from this and other localities than 

 is at present available, that the above specific determination would 

 require to be included within the extended diagnosis of the type 

 of -4. irregularis, although the distribution as at present known 

 of the varietal forms of that species (e. g. A. Mulleri, A. echinu- 

 latus, etc.) would hardly lead to such a supposition. 



