THE ECHINODERMS OF PORTO RICO. 
251 
There is a single specimen of this new species, collected at station 6050, at the entrance to San 
Juan Harbor, in 91 fathoms. In the number of oral papilla? and the absence of tentacle scales it 
approaches 0. glacialis Muller & Troschel, but it differs from that form in the shape of the oral papilla?, 
and from all previously known members of the genus in the serrate arm-spines and the large rounded 
teeth. The name serratus has been selected on account of the arm-spines. 
47. Ophiomyxa flaccida Lutken. 
This large, handsome, and very active species is known from Bermuda to Brazil. It is found 
under and among rocks and coral in shallow water. The color varies greatly, from uniform tawny or 
reddish yellow to green marked with white. A single large specimen in the Fish Hawk collection is 
from Ensenada Honda (Culebra), and Mr. Gray has a large specimen in his collection from San Juan. 
48. Astroporpa annulata Oerstedt & Lutken. 
This very handsome and curious ophiuran is known from many West Indian stations, where it 
occurs at depths of from 20 to 168 fathoms, and it has also been taken off Cape Hatteras and Chesapeake 
Bay. The arms measure upward of 100 mm. in length. There is a single specimen in the Porto Rican 
collection from station 6063. 
49. Astroschema oligactes Lutken. 
Known from various stations in the West Indies at depths of 69 to 288 fathoms, among corals. The 
arms are from 100 to 150 mm. in length. There is a single specimen before me from station 6067. 
While there are more than 100 other species of brittle-stars known from the 
West Indies, most of them are deep-water forms and very few are likely to be met 
with in shallow water. There are, however, a few species not given in the above list 
which will probably be found along shore in Porto Rico, as they have been in other 
islands of the West Indies. One is a species of Ophiura (i guttata Lyman), allied to 
brevicauda and found in similar situations. In it the upper-arm plates are broken 
into numerous pieces; the disk is about 15 mm. in diameter; above dark brown, 
beneath bright yellow. Another species found in similar situations is Ophiolepis 
paucispina Muller & Troschel, allied to O. elegans , but easily distinguished by having 
only 2 arm-spines. Other species of Ophiactis may occur, but their identification is 
a matter of great difficulty and can only be accomplished with the aid of figures or 
elaborate descriptions. Amphipholis qracillinma (Stimpson) may occur and is easily 
distinguished from other members of the genus by having 1 to 5 arm-spines. 
Over 10 years ago Ophioblenna cmtillensis was described by Lutken from 2 
specimens labeled simply “West Indies” and presumably taken in shallow water. 
The species has not been met with since, and its rediscovery would be of great 
interest. It is characterized by the disk being covered with a naked skin, numerous 
close-set, spine-like oral papilla;, and 6 to 7 fiat, pointed, glassy, slightly thorny 
arm-spines. 
It is not a little strange that the Fish Ilawk did not collect a single specimen of 
the ophiurans known as “basket-fish,” as several species belonging to the genera 
Astrophyton and Gorgonocephalus are known from the shallow water of the West 
Indies, though seldom near low-water mark. They are characterized by the arms 
being dichotomously branched into numerous branchlets, capable of being vertically 
coiled. When taken from the water, the arms bend and curl inward toward the 
mouth and become more or less interwoven, thus giving rise to the curious shape, 
from which the name “basket-fish” has arisen. They reach a large size, the disk 
50 mm. or more across, and the whole “basket” being often over a foot in diameter. 
The color is usually yellowish or reddish brown. 
