THE STARFISHES OF THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS. 
1049 
may not attain the tip of the ray. In bipunclus most of the superomarginals of the ray are in contact, 
but in symbolicus the abactinal plates extend to the tip of the arm. 
I have entertained some doubts as to the propriety of ranking the following species under this 
genus, but it appears to be closer to Nereidasler than to any other known genus. The stellate character 
of the abactinal plates is not mentioned by Sladen in the descriptions of symbolicus and bipunclus, as 
dissection is necessary to determine this point, but the abactinal paxillse and adambulacral armature, 
as well as the nature of the pedicellarise, are essentially the same in the three forms. The condition 
of the rays, whether long or short, and the degree to which the distal superomarginals are in contact 
in the median line is apparently not a matter of generic importance. 
Nereidaster bowersi, new species. 
PI. xvi, figs. 4, 4a; pi. xvii, fig. 4; pi. xxi, fig. 1. 
Rays 5. R=68 mm.; r=32 mm. R=2.15 r. Breadth of ray near base (between fifth and sixth 
inferomarginals) 23 mm. 
Disk very broad, somewhat inflated; rays rather short, stout, tapering to a bluntly pointed 
extremity. Sides of body rounded, the marginal plates well developed but not massive. Inter- 
brachial arcs very wide and well rounded. 
Abactinal paxillar area paved with large, low, tabulate paxillse, arranged in longitudinal series 
parallel with the median radial. Paxillfe of latter series are largest, and all decrease in size toward 
extremity of ray and laterally toward the edge of disk. Paxillse of the central portion of disk are 
slightly smaller than at about the middle of each radius. Those of radial areas are hexagonal as to 
the tabulum, and are considerably elongated transversely in the radial and each adradial series. They 
become more roundish toward the sides of rays. The triangular interradial area is set off more or less 
sharply from the radial (the paxillse being smaller, quadrate or subrhomboid, close-set) and is devoid 
of papulae. The papulae are absent likewise from the outer third' of the arm, where paxillse become 
suddenly close-set, lose their tabulate character, and are reduced to simple hexagonal plates. Between 
the distal 8 or 9 superomarginal plates these are reduced to a simple series (the plates often quadrate) , 
which dies out near the tip of ray, the last 2 or 3 superomarginals being medially in contact. In 
the cotype none of the superomarginals are in contact. Each paxilla springs from a very strongly 
stellate base, each plate having ordinarily 5 lobes except in the interradial series, where the plates are 
likely to be rather irregular and with only 3 or 4 lobes. The plates imbricate by the tips of these 
lobes, between which, in the radial areas, issue the papulae. The latter are small and single. The 
tabulum of each paxilla is very low and is surmounted by numerous granules, the number of which 
varies through wide limits, according to the size of the plate. Over the papular area the granules of 
peripheral series are slightly pinched, low, square-tipped, more delicate, and often longer than the 
central granules, which are cylindrical, thimble-shaped, often flat-topped, and on the broader paxilhe 
of radial area are arranged in 2 or 3 more or less regular transverse series. A large radial paxilla has 
about 30 to 35 marginal granules and 25 central; while the smaller interradial have 14 or 15 peripheral 
and 5 or 6 central. In the latter the difference between the central and peripheral granules is hardly 
noticeable. In the type most of the paxillse or proximal portion of radial areas and central portion of 
disk bear in the center a small pedicellaria with 2 (occasionally 3) slender jaws, which are chisel- 
shaped or spatulate and only slightly longer than the granules. 
Superomarginal plates, 25 in number from median interradial line to extremity of ray, are confined 
almost entirely to side wall in interbrachial arc, but on outer part of ray encroach upon paxillar area, 
there forming a rounded margin. In interbrachial arc they may be described as forming a very steep 
bevel. On rays they are much larger, but are not so broad. General surface is covered with numerous 
low, flat-topped, thimble-shaped granules, there being a very regular peripheral series slightly larger 
and a trifle more widely spaced. A few pedicellarise similar to those of the abactinal plates occur at the 
base of the ray. Distal 2 or 3 plates are in contact medially in type. 
Inferomarginals correspond in number with superomarginals, but are not always exactly opposite 
to them at base of ray. They are much wider than high in interbrachial arc, there conspicuously 
encroaching upon the actinal interradial area. Outer edges of plates in the middle of interbrachial arc 
are shorter than the inner ends, like the stones of an arch. Throughout most of the ray the plates are 
quadrate, but in the interradial arc, and toward tip of ray, they become more and more obl-ong. Cov- 
ering of plates is similar to that of the superomarginals. Pedicellarise rarely present. 
