THE ECHINODERMS OF PORTO RICO. 
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4. liuidia clathrata (Say). 
Common on sandy bottoms along the southeastern coast of the United States and throughout the 
West Indies, also occurring in Bermuda. It reaches a diameter of 200 mm. Color usually grayish 
blue above, light yellowish beneath. 
Collected at stations 6054 and 6084; 7 specimens, the largest 200 mm. across. 
5. Luidia senegalensis (Lamarck). 
This curious and interesting starfish occurs on sandy bottoms throughout the West Indies. It 
reaches a diameter of over 350 mm. Upper surface grayish blue; lower pale yellow. There are 3 
specimens, all with 9 rays. The largest is 365 mm. across. Collected at Catano, Mayaguez, and 
Puerto Real. 
6. Zoroaster fulgens W. Thomson. 
A large and handsome starfish, 225 mm. across, found in deep water throughout the North 
Atlantic. Its occurrence in shallow water at San Juan seems quite exceptional. There are 2 very fine 
specimens labeled simply “San Juan,” which I have referred to this species, though not without 
hesitation. They answer very satisfactorily to Sladen’s description (Challenger Report, vol. xxx), but 
not so well to his figures, which, however, differ somewhat from the description, especially in propor- 
tions. The specimens before me have the rays 110 mm. long, while the radius of the disc is only 
8 mm. , therefore R = 14 r. Perrier, in his description of Z. ackleyi, speaks of superficial resemblances, 
aborally to Ophidiaster, orally to Luidici, and in these the Porto Rican specimens agree with ackleyi; 
but they differ from that species in having only 11 longitudinal rows of plates on the rays, agreeing in 
that respect with fulgens. They also agree with the latter species in the granulation of the plates and 
in several other minor points, but they are not nearly as spiny as Sladen’s figures. All the differences 
together, however, do not seem to me to warrant the separation of the Porto Rican species as new. It 
is unfortunate that there are no data to show at what depth these specimens were collected; it hardly 
seems possible that they could have been collected along shore or in very shallow water. 
7. Pentaceros reticulatus (Linnfeus). 
This is perhaps the best known of the West Indian starfishes, being commonly brought back by 
sailors and travelers as a curio. It reaches a large size, up to nearly 0.5 meter in diameter. In life 
the color is usually yellowish or reddish-orange, but when dried it is more often brown. It occurs on 
sandy or muddy bottoms, in shallow water, throughout the West Indies. The Fish Hawk collection 
contains 12 small specimens, measuring from 72 to 200 mm. across. They were collected at Mayaguez, 
Ponce, and San Juan. Mr. Gray brought back about 50 specimens of medium size, of which 2 have 6 
rays and 2 have only 4. The ambulacral furrows of the latter form a perfect cross. Mr. Gray called 
my attention to the fact that there are 2 well-marked varieties of this starfish, so different from each 
other that, were connecting links wanting, they would easily pass for distinct species. One has the rays 
acuminate, the disc very high, the skeleton comparatively light, and the oral surface quite spiny, while 
the other has the rays shorter and more rounded, the disc lower, the skeleton very solid, and covered 
with large tubercles; oral surface more granular and less spiny. 
8. Asterina folium Ltitken. 
A very pretty little starfish, rarely 20 mm. in diameter, found clinging to the under side of rocks, 
in shallow water. The color varies greatly, blue being the prevalent shade, but red, yellow, green, 
and white specimens often occur. Found from Bermuda southward throughout the West Indies. 
One small specimen, 13 mm. across, from the reefs at Ponce, is the only representative in the Fish Hawk 
collection. 
9. Ophidiaster guildingii (Gray). 
Found among corals and broken rocks throughout the West Indies, but does not seem to be as 
common as the following, which it superficially resembles. It rarely reaches a large size, 50 to 60 mm. 
across being a good average. The color varies from red and yellow to purplish, brown, and white. 
Three average-sized specimens of this species were collected at Ponce. 
10. Linckia guildingii (Gray). 
A very common starfish from Bermuda southward, occurring among corals and broken rocks. It 
reaches a much larger size than the preceding, a big specimen measuring 200 mm. across; but it is 
