WEST INDIAN STARFISHES 



43 



The rays are angulated and not very long ; not slender. Radii 

 of a medium sized specimen 12™^ and 47™™ ; ratio about as 1 :4. 

 On the dorsal and lateral surface of the rays there are about 

 five irregular rows of rather distant, relatively large, stout, acute, 

 conical spines, on mammilary bosses of the principal plates, and 

 partially covered by a thick dermis. The two outer of these 

 rows may be reckoned as superomarginals, but they are like the 

 others. 



The inferomarginals, which are on the actinal side near the 

 adambulacrals, but separated from them by a naked lane, form a 

 more regular row of about fifteen, somewhat larger than the 

 dorsals, but similar in form. 



The disk bears a few spines, like the radials. Beneath, the 

 disk is covered by a smooth, naked dermis, without spines. Pap- 

 ular pores are numerous in large groups on the dorsal side; 

 fewer on the sides and beneath. 



The adambulacral spines are two to a plate; the outer one is 

 much the larger and they form a close, regular, longitudinal 

 row, partly webbed ; the inner one is much smaller, not half as 

 long, and situated deep in the furrow. Above description is 

 from a Brazilian specimen. 



In life this species is usually bright red or crimson; it be- 

 comes dull reddish brown in alcohol, and usually dark purplish 

 brown when carefully dried. 



Not uncommon in shallow water and on reefs throughout the 

 West Indies. It extends to the Abrolhos Reefs, Brazil, and to 

 Yucatan. Abundant in Bay of Bahia, Pemambuco, on rocky 

 bottoms, etc. (R. Rathbun). Yucatan (Ives). 



I have not seen it from Florida, nor from the Bahamas. The 

 Yale Museum has it from the Abrohos Reefs, Brazil (coll. C. F. 

 Hartt, No. 1527, type of E. crassispina) , and young specimens, ap- 

 parently of this species, from Parahyba de Norte (coll. Hartt, 

 Nos. 5209, 5210, 5211). 



E CHIN ASTER MODESTUS Pcrrier. 



EcMnaster modestus Perrier, op. eit.^ p. 7, 1881. Etoiles de Mer, p. 206, pi. 

 iii, fig. 7, 1884. 



The type was evidently a young specimen. Its radii were 

 and 36°^; ratio, 1:6. 



