1092 
BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
This species is remarkable for its very slender rays, and curiously formed disk. It is probably 
most closely related to Henricia compacta (Sladen), from the west coast of New Zealand (275 fathoms), 
but differs from this form principally in the adambulacral armature. TI. pauperrirna may be readily 
distinguished by the 2 small spines placed on the side of the ambulacral furrow (pi. xxxvm, fig. 3b), 
there being in this genus usually only 1. 
Genus ECHINASTER Muller and Troschel. 
Echinaster Muller and Troschel, Monatsber. d. k. preuss. Akad. d. Wiss. Berlin, April, 1840, p. 102. 
sepositus (Lamarck) . 
Echinaster, sp. 
Type (?) Echinaster 
Of the 2 species of Echinaster in the collection, 1 is represented by 2 specimens, the other by but 1. 
The first species is too young for specific determination. One of the examples was taken at station 
3872, Auau Channel, 43 to 32 fathoms, yellow sand, pebbles, coral; the other at station 4162, Bird Island, 
21 to 24 fathoms. R = 13 mm., r = 2.75 mm. The plates are relatively large, cordate, and arranged on 
rays in a radial, adradial, supero- and inferomarginal and 1 actinal intermediate series. The primary 
apical system is conspicuous. In the smaller of the two specimens most of the plates have a short 
stubby spinelet. Furrow adambulacral spinelets 2, short, the aboral slightly the shorter; arranged in 
a linear series, the whole of which from end to end of the ray is invested in a very delicate membrane. 
On the actinal surface of every adambulacral plate is a robust, short, stubby, lanceolate spine directed 
away from furrow. On outer part of ray alternate plates are often without actinal spines. Actinal 
intermediate plates much smaller than inferomarginals, oval in shape, and about as large as adambu- 
lacral plates. Single madreporic body. Rays 5. 
Color in life: Light buff, yellow at tips of rays, which are mottled above with burnt sienna. The 
rays are also marked with transverse scalloped lines of the same color, which follow the adoral over- 
lapping edges of the plates and give a very scaly appearance to the creature. 
The other species is larger and is almost undoubtedly new, but is in rather too poor condition to 
constitute a type. It is closely related to Echinaster sladeni de Loriol, from Mauritius.® Rays 5. 
R=32mm.; r=5mm. R=6.4r. Rays considerably flattened, somewhat constricted at base, tapering to 
a blunt point; practically the same shape as E. sladeni. There are 7 longitudinal series of 4-lobed 
plates, of which the marginal series is constantly most regular. Each plate, with few exceptions, 
bears a robust, sharp spinelet only very microscopically striated. Between adambulacral and infero- 
marginal series are 2 rows of small rounded plates, the outer series corresponding plate to plate with the 
inferomarginals, while there are 2 plates of inner series to each of the outer. Papular areas about size 
of plates, containing only 1 or 2 papulte. Adambulacral plates short, band-like. Furrow spinelets 2, 
rather delicate, slender, blunt, tapering very slightly. They are united for most of their length by a 
very delicate membrane which is continuous throughout ray. On actinal surface is a robust, slightly 
flattened, tapering, bluntly pointed spine, somewhat larger than those of inferomarginals. Occasion- 
ally a plate is missed, and on the outer part of ray usually only alternate plates possess an actinal spine. 
Madre poric body single. 
Locality: Station 4046, west coast of Hawaii, 147 to 71 fathoms, coral sand, foraminifera. 
It is possible that the preceding species is the very young of this form. The present species differs 
from sladeni in having a thicker skin, stouter spinelets which do not appear to be striated as in the 
Mauritius species; very much heavier actinal adambulacral spines, and more cylindrical, blunter fur- 
row spinelets, which are, moreover, webbed. The 2 series of adambulacral spines will distinguish this 
species from E. gracilis, E. eridanella, and the other Indian and Pacific forms, if taken in connection 
with the thinnish skin and regular rows of plates. 
Subfamily VALVASTERINU Viguier, 1878. 
Valvasterinse Viguier, Anatomie Compare du Squelette des Stellerides. <Areh. Zool. Exper. et G6n6r., t. vii, 1878, p. 131 
(separate). 
Genus VALVASTER Perrier. 
Valvaster Perrier, Revision des Stellerides, 1875, p. 112. Type, Asterias striata Lamarck. 
Mem. Soc. Phys. et d’Hist. Nat. Geneve, t. xxxii, pt. 1, 1894, p. 61, pi. 
