RECORDS OF IV. A. MUSEUM. 
[149 
are most numerous and sharpest near tips of rays. Madreporic 
plate small, only 3 mm. across, and situated only 7 or 8 mm. from 
centre of disk. 
Adambulacral plates short and numerous ; each bears a pointed 
spine, deep in the furrow, and two blunt spines on the furrow 
margin ; these two spines are 1.5-2 mm. long, about .5 mm. wide and 
are somewhat flattened ; the aboral is a trifle smaller and stands 
further back from the furrow margin. Oral plates each with four 
marginal .spines similar to those of the adambulacral plates, but 
somewhat larger. 
Actinal surface with numerous papulae everywhere. Actinal 
intermediate areas without spines. Opposite the fifth adambulacral 
plate, there begins a very distinct series of small sharp spines which 
runs to the tip of the ray. The fifth adambulacral spines 
are 5 mm. from the first spine of this series, but at the 
tip of the ray the distance between the two series is little 
more than a millimetre. The whole starfish is covered by a 
skin which is particularly thick and noticeable orally. On the basal 
half of the arms, very distinct furrows run out at right angles to the 
long axis of the ray between the adambulacral plates for some 
distance beyond the actinolateral series of spines just described. In 
the dry specimen these furrows are very conspicuous because of 
their lighter colour. There ate of course no pedicellariae. 
Colour of dry specimen, reddish-brown. In life the colour is 
said to have been purple. 
Between Fremantle and Geraldton, VV.A. One specimen. No. 
4918. Type. 
If we are to distinguish Othilia as a separate genus from 
Echinaster, on account of the actinal papulae, then this species 
belongs to Othilia, for the actinal papulae are a very noticeable 
feature. But the type of Othilia is Edhinaster spinosus of Brazil, and 
the present species does not resemble that species in general appear- 
ance so much as it does some of the East Indian Echinasters. For 
the present therefore, I have concluded to ignore Othilia and 
describe this specimen as an Echinaster. It does not seem to be 
very closely related to any of the previously known species, but it 
must be granted that Echinaster is a perplexing genus and specific 
differentiation is not very complete within it. Individual variation 
