1076 
BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
Mouth plates narrow, small, inconspicuous, with a furrow series of 11 spines like those of the 
adambulacrals except the inner 2, which are heavier, blunter, and form with the corresponding spines 
of the companion plate 4 teeth at each mouth angle. A row of 3 or 4 robust blunt spines are present 
on the actinal surface of the plate, parallel with the furrow series. A series of small pinched granules 
extends around the margin of each plate, except, of course, that part adjacent to the furrow. 
Madreporic body small, convex, raised above general surface of integument. It is situated about 
one-third distance from center to margin, and lies off the exact interradial line. Striations convoluted. 
Anal opening eccentric, surrounded by large globular granules. 
Color in alcohol, ashy. 
Young: There appeals to be no description of a young Asterodiscus beyond the few words of Gray. 
The young of the present species seems considerably different from that of elegans. Eays are well 
marked, regular, short, tapering from a broad base. Disk, large; interbrachial arcs widely angular. 
R=10mm. ; r=6.5 mm. E=1.54 r. Marginal plates well developed, conspicuous, separated by an 
intercalated series of very much smaller ossicles, each bearing a globular granule nearly as large as 
the exposed surface of the plate. Superomarginals are 4 in number from median interradial line to 
extremity of ray, the last plate being very large and swollen as in the adult, and separated from that 
adjacent by a transverse series of 2 abactinal plates. Each plate with the exception of the last is 
slightly convex, is surrounded by a series of bead-like granules, and bears 2 or 3 granules on its 
surface, one being usually larger than the rest. The large plate has a smooth surface. It will be seen 
that superomarginals do not increase in number beyond this stage, the ray growing by the interpola- 
tion of abactinal plates between the superomarginals, principally between the third and fourth. 
Inferomarginals 8 from median interradial line, subcircular, surrounded by many small elongated 
granules in a definite series, each plate resembling a composite flower with short peripheral florets. A 
tubercle stands at the upper edge of each plate, and increases in size toward the end of ray. In the 
adult, which has but 10 inferomarginals, the growth of intermediate plates is principally between the 
third to seventh plates. The single intermediate series of plates between the dorsal and ventral 
marginals is readily distinguishable in the adult, and is situated rather nearer the inferomarginals, 
with which the intermediate plates alternate. 
Abactinal plates are large, circular, arranged in very regular series parallel with the median radial 
row; or, in other words, they form chevrons, the axis of which is interradial. Plates decrease in size 
toward the periphery and each is surrounded by a circle of small bead-like granules and bears a large 
rounded, depressed tubercle which occupies the whole surface of the plate. Primary apical series 
very large, especially the “basals”, which bear a much smaller convex granule in the center, instead 
of the enlarged tubercle. A single series of plates between adjacent basals. Within the apical area 
bounded by the basals are 5 regular plates (radial in position) and a definite “central”. Primary 
“radials” are situated just outside of the basals; larger than others of the radial series. Papulse are 
distributed all over the abactinal surface. Madreporic body just outside of a “basal” plate. 
Actinal intermediate plates are arranged in regular chevrons, and are not distinct superficially. 
Each is armed with a globular or obovofd tubercle surrounded by a semicircle of 2 to 5 pinched 
granules. Adambulacral plates have 3 spinelets in furrow series, and one actinal spine instead of 2 
or 3. Several granules stand on the outer edge of the plate, one usually larger than the others. No 
pedicellarise are present. 
The color of the young in life is cadmium orange; in alcohol bleached ashy or whitish. 
Localities: Type (no. 21172, U. S. National Museum) from station 3940, vicinity of Laysan Island, 
.59-70 fathoms, white sand and broken shells; bottom temperature, 70°. Two young specimens from 
4128, southeast of Kauai Island, probably about 68 fathoms, coarse brown coral sand, foraminifera. 
Genus CTJLCITA Agassiz. 
Culcita Agassiz, M(5m. Soc. Sci. Nat Neuchatel, t. I, 1835, p. 192. 
Culcita arenosa Perrier. 
Culcita arenosa Perrier, Recherches sur les Pedicellaires, 1869, p. 66; Revision des Stell6rides, 1875, p. 264. Sladcn, Chal- 
lenger Asteroidea, 1888, p. 352. ' 
Culcita novxguinei svar. arenosa, Doederlein, Bericht ii. d. v. Herrn Prof. Semon bei Amboina ges. Asteroidea, in Semon, 
Zool. Forsch. in Australien u. d. Malay. Archipel. <Jenaische Denkschrift, bd. vm, 1896, p. 315, taf. xix, fig. 5 and 6. 
This species was not taken by the Albatross expedition. The specimen which Perrier described 
was collected by the expedition of Eydoux and Souleyet in the Bonite in 1837, “des lies Sandwich.” 
