I 383.1 C52 SCIENTIFIC RESULTS OF THE EXPEDITION TO THE GULF OF CALIFORNIA IN CHARGE OF C. H. TOWNSEND, BY THE U. S. FISHERIES STEAMSHIP 'ALBATROSS' IN 1911. COMMANDER C. H. BURRAGE, U. S. N., COMMANDING. Published by Permission of the U. S. Commissioner of Fisheries. V. Echinoderms from Lower California, with Descriptions of new Species. BY HUBERT LYMAN CLARK. AUTHOR'S EDITION, extracted from BULLETIN OF THE Hmerican flDuseum of IRatural VOL. XXXII, ART. VIII, pp. 185-236. New York,' July 9, 1913. (Continued from 3rd page of cover.) Vol. XII. Anthropology (not yet completed). *Jesup North Pacific Expedition, Vol. VIII. PART I. — Chuckchee Mythology. By Waldemar Bogoras. Pp. 1-197, 1910. Price. $1.25. Vol. STTT. Anthropology (not yet completed). *Jesup North Pacific Expedition, Vol. IX. PART I. — The Yukaghir and the Yukaghirized Tungus. By Waldemar Jochelson. Pp. 1-133. pll. i-vii, 1 map, 1910. Price, $3.40. Vol. XIV. Anthropology. *Jesup North Pacific Expedition, Vol. X. PART I. — Kwakiutl Texts. Second Series. By Franz Boas and George Hunt. Pp. 1-269. 1906. Price, $2.80. PART II. — Haida Texts. By John R. Swaiiton. Pp. 271-802. 1908. Price, $5.40. MEMOIRS. New Series, Vol. I. PART I. — Crania of Tyranosaurus and Allosaurus. By Henry Fairfleld Osborn, pp. 1-30, pll. i-iv and text figures 1-27. 1912. PART II. — Integument of the Iguanodont Dinosaur Trachodon. By Henry Fairfleld Osborn. Pp. 31-54, pll. v-x, and text figures 1-13. 1912. Parts I and II are issued under one cover. Price, $2.00. PART III. — Craniometry of the Equidae. By Henry Fairfield Osborn. Pp. 55-100, text figures 1-17. 1912. Price, 75 cents. PART IV. — Ontogenetic and other Variations in Muskoxen, with a Systematic Review of the Muskox Group, Recent and EJxtinct. By J. A. Allen. Pp. 101-226, 8 plates, and 45 text figures. Price, $2.50. ETHNOGRAPHICAL ALBUM. Jesup North Pacific Expedition. Ethnographical Album of the North Pacific Coasts of America and Asia. Part 1, pp. 1-5, pll. 1-28. August, 1900. Sold by subscription, price, $6.00. BULLETIN. The matter in the 'Bulletin' consists of about 24 to 36 articles per volume, which relate about equally to Geology, Palaeontology, Mammalogy, Ornithology, Entomology, and (in former volumes) Anthropology, except Vol; XI, which is restricted to a 'Cata- logue of the Types and Figured Specimens in the Paleeontological Collection of the Geological Department,' and Vols. XV, XVII, and XVIII, which relate wholly to Anthropology. Vol- ume XXIII and the later volumes contain no anthropological matter, which is now Issued separately as 'Anthropological Papers.' Volj ime I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII, IX. X, XI, XII, XIII, XIV. XV. XVI, XVII, II 1881-86 Oi it of print ice, $4.75 $4.00 4.00 4.00 4.00 4.00 4.00 4.75 4.75 5.00 4.00 4.00 4.00 5.00 5.00 1.50 .75 1887-90 Pr 1890-91 1892 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 1898 1898-1901 1899 1900 1901 1901-1907 1902 Part I, 1902 II, " •• ITT lone: r»n Voh ime XVII. XVIII, II XIX, XX, XXI, XXII, XXIII, XXIV, XXV, XXVI, XXVII, XXVIII, XXIX, XXX, XXXI. Part IV, V, I. II, 1 III, 1 IV, 1903 1905 Pr 1907 1902 1904 1905 1907 ice, $ .75 1.25 2.00 1.50 .50 2.00 6.00 5.00 5.00 6.00 9.00 6.00 1.50 6.00 5.00 4.00 4.50 4.00 * 4.00 1904. . . . 1905 1906. . . . 1907 1908 Part I, 1908 1909. 1910 1910. . . . 1911 1911 1912.. ANTHROPOLOGICAL PAPERS. Vols. I-XII, 1908-1912 — $3.50 per Vol. AMERICAN MUSEUM JOURNAL.* The 'Journal' s a popular record of the progress of the American Museum of Natural History, issued monthly, from October to May inclusive. Price, $1.00 a year. Volumes I-XII, 1900-1912. *The Anatomy of the Common Squid. By Leonard Worcester Williams. Pp 1-87. pll. 1-iii, and 16 text figures. 1909. *Chinese Pottery of the Han Dynasty. By Berthold Laufer. Pp. 1-339. pi. i-Lxxv, and 55 text figures. 1909. For sale at the Museum. •Published by E. J. Brill. Leiden, Holland. Not on sale at the Museum. American Agent, O. E. Stechert, 129 West 20th Street, New York City. 59.39(72.2) Article VIII.— ECHINODERMS FROM LOWER CALIFORNIA, WITH DESCRIPTIONS OF NEW SPECIES.1 BY HUBERT LYMAN CLARK. Museum of Comparative Zoology, Cambridge, Mass. [By permission of the U. S. Commissioner of Fisheries.] PLATES XLIV TO XLVI. The collection of echinoderms made by the 'Albatross' Expedition to Lower California in the spring of 1911 proves to be of more than ordinary interest. It consists of 1881 specimens representing 107 species, of which 40 are starfishes, 31 are ophiurans, 18 are echini and 18 are holothurians. There are no crinoids in the collection. There is one apparently new species among the echini and two undescribed forms in each of the other classes. Unfortunately no less than 33 species are represented by only one or two specimens and as these are not infrequently in poor condition and occa- sionally without a locality label, there are a considerable number of speci- mens whose identification is dubious. The region explored by the ' Albatross ' is on the boundary between the Panamic region and that of the North Pacific, at least 54 of the species having been previously taken in the Panamic region. Yet there are a considerable number of northern forms, especially among the starfishes. These, however, are as a rule from the more northern stations. So far as littoral forms are concerned the boundary between the two regions appears to be about in the latitude of San Diego. Echinoderms were taken at all of the 'Albatross' dredging stations except three, Nos. 5679, 5680 and 5681. These three stations are in 325-405 fms. off the southern end of Lower California and it seems very strange that no echinoderms whatever were gotten that day, March 22. At about half of the harbors and anchorages visited, littoral echinoderms were gathered. The largest number of species taken at any one spot was 18 at 5694; 28 species were taken in that general i Scientific Results of the Expedition to the Gulf of California in Charge of Dr. C. H. Townsend, by the U. S. Fisheries Steamship 'Albatross' ju 1911. Commander G. H. Bui-rage, U. S. N, Commanding. 185 186 Bulletin American Museum of Natural History. [Vol. XXXII, region on April 26, stations 5693-5695, 451-640 fms. This locality is southwest of the Santa Barbara Islands, California. Off Monterey County, California, stations 5696-5699, 440-659 fms., 19 species were taken; and off Pt. San Tomas, west coast of Lower California, stations 5673, 5674, 5691, 5692, 590-1090 fms., 17 species were collected. Off Cape St. Lucas, at station 5682, five species were taken while at 5683, in slightly deeper water, five wholly different species were found. These two hauls were however, four weeks apart in time, as the 'Albatross' did no dredging while in the Gulf of California. The chief interest of the collection lies in the light which it throws on the distribution of previously known species. Little light is thrown on bathymetrical distribution, and the bottom temperatures are surprisingly uniform. Nevertheless, where a species was found at more than three stations, 1 have given a summary of its bathymetrical and temperature ranges, so far as the present collection shows them. Several of the new forms are of more than ordinary interest. Of the two new starfishes one is a Zorofisfir, apparently intermediate between the typical members of the genus and Fisher's proposed subgenus Myxoderma; the other is a Pcdi- cell aster remarkable for its large size. Of the ophiurans, one is a repre- sentative of the very large cosmopolitan genus Ophhtra, while the other represents a new generic type, allied to Opkioderma, but even more spe- cialized. The new echinoid is one of the perplexing genus Urechinus, characteristic deep sea spatangoids. Among the holothurians it is inter- esting to find a new, well-characterized species of the very diversified genus Niehojiux, the members of which are at present in a condition of the greatest confusion. Fortunately the three Pacific coast species are not only well set off from the rest of the genus but are readily distinguishable from each other. The other new holothurian seems to represent a new genus, re- markable among the Elasipods for the absence of dorsal appendages of any kind. Holotypes of the new species are deposited in the United States National Museum. Thanks to the generosity of the American Museum of Natural History, paratypes of five of the seven are in the collections of the Museum of Comparative Zoology, while paratypes of the two holothurians are in the American Museum. In this connection I desire to put on record my sincere appreciation of the courtesies shown me by the authorities of the American Museum in connection with the preparation of this report. Particularly I wish to thank Dr. C. H. Townsend and Director F. A. Lucas for entrusting the collection to me for study, and for granting all my requests concerning both the specimens and the report. 1913.] Clark, Echinoderms from Lower California. 187 ASTEROIDEA. Eremicaster tenebrarius. Porcellanaster (Eremicaster) tenebrarius FISHER, 1905. Bull. Bur. Fish., Vol. 24, p. 293. Eremicaster tenebrarius LUDWIG, 1907. Zool. Anz., Vol. 31. p. 318. There is a single speeimen of this species in the collection. It has R : 25 mm. and r = 8 mm. Each of the superomarginals carries a conspicuous spine. There is only a single furrow spinelet on each adambulaeral plate, but the segmental papillae are conspicuous nearly to the end of the arm. The terminal plate has only three spinelets. There are hut ten supero- marginal plates. In all these points, this individual resembles Alaskan specimens more closely than it does those from California. Station 5(5X4. Southwest of Santa Margarita Island, west coast of Lower California, 1700 fms. Eremicaster pacificus. Porcellanaster pacificus LUDWIG, 1905. Mem. M. C. Z., Vol. 32, p 89. Eremicaster pacificus FISHER, 1907. Zool. Anz., Vol. 32, p. 14. Both adults and young are represented in this series, the largest having R = 24 and the smallest, R == 8. As the latter is considerably smaller than any hitherto described, a few details of its structure may be worth recording. There are eight or nine adambulaeral plates but only five or six marginals. Most of the supermarginal plates carry a spine and the adam- bulacrals usually have two, but the distal ones may have only one. The terminal plate of each arm carries five spines, of which the median is 1^ mm. long. The median cribriform organ is made up of eight to ten lamellae but the lateral ones are much less developed and have only four to six lamella?. The madreporite is large and the periproctal tube is 1\ mm. long. Station 5073. Off Ft. San Tomas, west coast of Lower California, 1090 fms. Station 5091. Off Pt. San Tomas, west coast of Lower California, 80S fms. Bottom Temp., :-!7.20. Station 5092. Off Pt. San Tomas, west coast of Lower California, 1070 fms. Bottom Temp., 37.1°. Eleven specimens. 188 Bulletin American Museum of Natural History. [Vol. XXXII, Ctenodiscus crispatus. Asterias crispatus RETZIUS 1805- DLss. sp. cog. Ast., p. 17. Ctenodiscus crispatus DUBEN and KOREN, 1S40. K. vet. Akad. Handl. f. 1844, p. 253. A single small specimen (R - •• 15 mm.) is all the collection contains of this common and widespread species. Station 56X6. Off Ballenas Bay, west coast of Lower California, 930 fms. Bottom Temp., 37.3°. Leptychaster inermis. Parastropecten inermis LUDWIG, 1905. Mem. M. C. Z., Vol. 32, p. 76. Leptychaster inermis FISHER, 1911. Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., No. 76, p. 53. The two specimens are both small, the larger being about the same size as the larger of Ludwig's types (R - : 18 mm.). They seem however, to belong to the Panamic species rather than to the more northern anoiiuiliix for there are six or seven furrow spines on each adambulacral plate and only four papula? around each paxilla-base. The larger specimen answers well to Ludwig's description and photographs except that the rays are relatively a little shorter. The geographical range of the species is extended far northward by its occurrence off California. Station 5685. Southwest from Ballenas Bay, west coast of Lower California, 645 fms. Station 5699. Southwest from Monterey Bay, California, 659 fms. Bottom Temp., 37.9°. Astropecten erinaceus. Gray, 1840. Ann. Mag. Nat . Hist., Vol. 6, p. 182. The status of the Astropectens of the Pacific coast of America which have spines on the superomarginal plates is still uncertain and probably must remain so until satisfactory collections can be made on the coast of Ecuador, preferably at Punta Santa Elena, whence Gray's types came. Fisher follows Perrier in considering crin«rHinifrr. As the present specimen entirely lacks the characteristic pedicellariae of dissonus and shows other, slight differences, I cannot consider it that species. On the other hand the adambulacral armature is utterly different from that of pectinifer as described by Ludwig. But the latter only had a single specimen, much smaller than mine, in which R = : 140 mm., and perhaps with more material the differences might sink into insignificance. In the specimen before me the aboral portion of the margin of each adambulacral plate is much longer than the adoral until near the tip of the arm; or, in other words the angle of each plate which projects into the furrow and separates adjoining tube- feet is much nearer the oral end of the plate than it is the aboral. Ludwig says the opposite condition occurs in pectinifrr. In the present specimen, there are only four or five furrow-spines on each plate, one on the adoral side, one (the largest) on the point of the angle, and two or three on the aboral side; on the actinal surface of the plate are eight to twelve somewhat smaller spines, well-spaced and only indistinctly in rows. Ludwig says there are eight or nine furrow spines and four to seven on the surface of the plate. In my specimen there are eleven or twelve adambulacral plates to ten inferomarginals, while Ludwig says that in pectinifer there are only nine. — In view of these differences, I think it possible that the specimen before me represents an undescribed species but more material must be examined before the question can be settled. Station 5676. Off San Juanico, west coast of Lower California, 647 fms. Bottom Temp., 39°. 1913.] Clark, Echinoderms from Lower California. 193 Pseudarchaster pusillus. Fisher, 1905. Bull. Bur. Fish., Vol. 24, p. 304. There is a very good series of this species, ranging from R = : 14 mm. to R = 40 mm. They show very little variation among themselves but the paxillse spinelets and the spines of the marginal plates and actinal surface are all so slender and so well spaced that the general facies is different from typical pusillus and at the opposite extreme from the form described and figured by Fisher from off San Diego, 'Albatross' St. 4367. But there is little reason to doubt the identity of the specimens for they do not approach the Panamic forms described by Ludwig. Station 5675. Southwest of San Cristobal Bay, west coast of Lower California, 284 fms. Bottom Temp., 44.6°. Thirty specimens. Ceramaster leptoceramus. Tosia leptocerama FISHER, 1905. Bull. Bur. Fish , Vol. 24, p. 306. Ceramaster leptoceramus FISHER, 1911. Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., No. 76, p. 210. Neither of the two specimens before me is adult. In the larger R == 35 mm.; in the smaller R = 26 mm. Few of the adambulacral plates in either specimen have more than six furrow spines. The range of the species is extended southward some distance, by its occurrence at the following station. Station 5675. Southwest of San Cristobal Bay, west coast of Lower California, 284 fms. Bottom Temp., 44.6°. Two specimens. Ceramaster patagonicus. Pentagonaster patagonicus SLADEN, 1889. 'Challenger' Asteroids, p. 269. Ceramaster patagonicus FISHER, 1911. Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., No. 76, p. 214. A pentagonal starfish with conspicuous marginal plates and having R = 30 mm. seems to belong to this species as described and figured by Fisher. I am inclined to think that more abundant material will show that the north Pacific specimens are not conspecific with patagonicus. Station 5682. Off Cape St. Lucas, Lower California, 491 fms. Bottom Temp., 40.8°. 194 Bulletin American Museum of Natural History. [Vol. XXXII, Hippasteria californica. Fisher, 1905. Bull. Bur. Fish., Vol. 24, p. 310. A specimen with R = 130 mm. represents this species. Station 5694. Southwest of Santa Cruz Island, California, 640 fms. Hippasteria spinosa. Verrill, 1909. Amer. Jour. Sci., Vol. 28, p. 63. A specimen with R only 9 mm. seems to be undoubtedly the young of this species, although it was taken at a considerably greater depth than has been hitherto known for spinosa. There are only four marginal plates in each series. These carry conspicuous thick spines; if there are two or three on a plate, one (the median of three) is notably larger than the others. The abactinal plates are each bordered with spiniform granules from four to twelve in number according to the size of the plate. The primary plates are conspicuous and each carries a central spinelet. Actinally the furrow and subambulacral spines are conspicuous, but the spiniform granules of the actinal intermediate plates are very small. No pedicellarise are to be seen anywhere actinally but five or six on the abactinal surface are very conspicuous; there are none on the marginal plates. Station 5693. Northwest of San Nicolas Island, California, 451 fms. Oreaster occidentalis. Verrill, 1866. Trans. Conn. Acad., Vol. 1, p. 373. There are two small specimens from Agua Verde Bay, east coast of Lower California. The larger has R = 80 mm. Amphiaster insignis. Verrill, 1868. Trans. Conn. Acad., Vol. 1, p. 373. A fine specimen (R = 80 mm.) from Magdalena Bay, west coast of Lower California, is the only representative of this remarkable starfish. Linckia columbise. Gray, 1840. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., Vol. 6, p. 285. This species is represented by a young individual from San Josef Island, Gulf of California, and four small adults from San Francisquito Bay, east coast of Lower California. The largest specimen has R = 82 mm. 1913.] Clark, Echinoderms from Lower California. 195 Phataria unifascialis. Linckia (Phataria) unifascialis GRAY, 1840. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., Vol. 6, p. 285. Phataria unifascialis SLADEN, 1889. 'Challenger' Asteroids, p. 786. Of this common and characteristic west Mexican species, there are three small specimens from Pichilingue Bay, east coast of Lower California. The largest has R about 70 mm. Echinaster tenuispinus. Verrill, 1871. Trans. Conn. Acad., Vol. 1, p. 577. These specimens call for no special comment. The largest has R = 50 mm.; in the smallest R = 18 mm. San Bartolome, west coast of Lower California. Agua Verde Bay, east coast of Lower California. San Francisquito Bay, east coast of Lower California. San Esteban Island, Gulf of California. Five specimens. Honricia clarki. Fisher, 1910. Zool. Anz., Vol. 35, p. 573. There is a single individual in the collection, which seems to belong to this species. In it R = about 75 mm. On only a few of the proximal adambulacral plates are there as many as three spinelets in the furrow, and in a few other details the specimen is not typical but in view of the locality and depth, there can be little doubt of its belonging to this species. Station 5682. Off Cape St. Lucas, Lower California, 491 fms. Bottom Temp., 40.8°. Henricia laeviuscula annectens. Fisher, 1910. Zool. Anz., Vol. 35, p. 572. Two small Henricias, with R about 20 mm. seem to represent this form. San Bartolome, west coast of Lower California. Station 5693. Northwest of San Nicolas Island, California, 451 fms. 186 Bulletin American Museum of Natural History. [Vol. XXXII, Solaster paxillatus. Sladen, 1889. 'Challenger' Asteroidea, p. 452. Each of the three specimens has eight arms. In the smallest, R = 37 mm. In one of the large ones R = 135 and the ray is 35 mm. broad at the disk-margin, while in the other large specimen, with the rays about equally long, br is only 23 mm. These two large specimens have no locality label but there is reason to think they came from Station 5694, southwest of Santa Cruz Island, California, 640 fms. The small specimen is from Station 5695, southwest of Santa Rosa Island, California, 534 fms.; bottom Temp., 38.9°. The occurrence of this Japanese species, so far south on the American coast, is noteworthy, but I can find no good reason for refusing to refer these specimens to that species. Solaster borealis. Crossaster borealis FISHER, 1906, Proc. Wash. Acad. Sci., Vol. 8, p. 134. Solaster borealis FISHER, 1911. Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., No. 76, p. 320. One of these specimens has only ten rays but each of the others has eleven. The largest specimen has R = 135 mm. while the smallest has R only 20 mm. Station 5694. Southwest of Santa Cruz Island, California, 640 fms. Station 5696. Off San Luis Obispo County, California, 440 fms. Bottom Temp., 39.9°. Station 5698. Off Monterey County, California, 475 fms. Bottom Temp., 39.9°. Station 5699. Southwest from Monterey Bay, California, 659 fms. Bottom Temp., 37.9°. Bathymetrical range, 440-659 fms. Temperature range, 39.9°-37.9°. Ten specimens. Heterozonias alternatus. Crossaster alternatus FISHER, 1906. Proc. Wash. Acad. Sci., Vol. 8, p. 131. Heterozonias alternatus FISHER, 1910. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. (8), Vol. 5, p. 172. There is a fine series of this interesting starfish, of which one has nine rays, 26 have ten rays and one has eleven. The largest specimen has R = 160 mm. while in the smallest R is only about 13 mm. Station 5694. Southwest of Santa Cruz Island, California, 640 fms. 1913.] Clark, Echinoderms from Lower California. 197 Station 5697. Off Monterey County, California, 485 fms. Bottom Temp., 39.8°. Station 5698. Off Monterey County, California, 475 fms. Bottom Temp., 39.9°. Station 5699. Southwest from Monterey Bay, California, 659 fms. Bottom Temp., 37.9°. Bathymetrical range, 475-659 fms. Temperature range, 39.9°-37.9°. Twenty -eight specimens. Lophaster furcilliger. Fisher, 1905. Bull. Bur. Fish., Vol. 24, p. 312. These specimens are all typical furc-illiger, as would naturally be expected in view of the depth at which they were taken. The smallest has R = 20 mm. In the largest R = 60 mm. Station 5694. Southwest of Santa Cruz Island, California, 640 fms. Station 5695. Southwest of Santa Rosa Island, California, 534 fms. Bottom Temp., 38.9°. Station 5699. Southwest from Monterey Bay, California, 659 fms. Bottom Temp., 37.9°. Twelve specimens. Peribolaster biserialis. Fisher, 1905. Bull. Bur. Fish., Vol. 24, p. 313. In these specimens R ranges from 10 to 17 mm. but there is nothing noteworthy about them. Station 5696. Off San Luis Obispo County, California, 440 fms. Bottom Temp., 39.9°. Four specimens. Pteraster jordani. Fisher, 1905. Bull. Bur. Fish., Vol. 24, p. 314. A single specimen with R = 70 mm. is in the collection. Station 5695. Southwest of Santa Rosa Island, California, 534 fms. Bottom Temp., 38.9°. 198 Bulletin American Museum of Natural History. [Vol. XXXII, Hymenaster perissonotus. Fisher, 1910. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist, (8), Vol. 5, p. 170. Although only the smallest individual is well preserved, there is little doubt as to the identity of these specimens. There are only four oral spines on a plate, as a rule, and there is thus an approach to cjracilis in this particular, but occasionally there are five and very rarely six such spines. The largest specimen has R = 40 mm.; in the smallest, it is about 30. Station 5689. Off Rosario Bay, west coast of Lower California, 879 fms. Station 5691. Off Pt, San Tomas, west coast of Lower California, 868 fms. Bottom Temp., 37.2°. Four specimens. Hymenaster quadrispinosus. Fisher, 1905. Bull. Bur. Fish., Vol. 24, p. 315. These specimens are poorly preserved but show the characteristics of the species fairly well. R ranges from about 37 to nearly 60 mm. Station 5690. Off Rosario Bay, west coast of Lower California, 1 101 fms. Bottom Temp., 38.1°. Four specimens. Zoroaster evermanni. Fisher, 1905. Bull. Bur. Fish., Vol. 24, p. 317. There is an excellent series of this interesting species, which seems to be common all along the coast of California between Monterey and San Diego, in four to seven hundred fathoms. The largest specimens (R = 220 mm.) are much larger than Fisher's type, and the coarseness of the reticulation of the abactinal skeleton is very marked. But there is only a single series of abactinal plates between the radial series and the superomarginals and even at the extreme base of the ray, there are but three series of actino- lateral plates. In the smallest specimen (R = 70 mm.), the third series of these plates is to be found only just indicated by two or three plates. Station 5694. Southwest of Santa Cruz Island, California, 640 fms. Station 5695. Southwest of Santa Rosa Island, California, 534 fms. Bottom Temp., 38.9°. Station 5696. Off San Luis Obispo County, California, 440 fins. Bottom Temp., 39.9°. 1913.] Clark, Echinoderms from Lower California. 199 Station 5697. Off Monterey County, California, 485 fms. Bottom Temp., 39.8°. Station 5698. Off Monterey County, California, 475 fms. Bottom Temp., 39.9°. Station 5699. Southwest from Monterey Bay, California, 659 fms. Bottom Temp., 37.9°. Bathymetrical range, 440-659 fms. Temperature range, 39.9°-37.9°. Nineteen specimens. Zoroaster ophiurus. Fisher, 1905. Bull. Bur. Fish., Vol. 24, p. 315. This seems to be a more southern species than the preceding, occurring along the coast of Lower California in eight to eleven hundred fathoms. The specimens before me range from R = 25 mm. to R = 160 mm.. The latter are thus larger than the type. In the small specimens, the spines on the primary plates of the disk and on the radial series of each ray are very conspicuous, 1-2 mm. long. In half grown specimens they are apparently no larger and hence are no longer conspicuous. In the little specimens, there are only two or three series of actino-lateral plates at the base of the ray. Station 5686. Off Ballenas Bay, west coast of Lower California, 930 fms. Bottom Temp., 37.3°. Station 5689. Off Rosario Bay, west coast of Lower California, 879 fms. Station 5690. Off Rosario Bay, west coast of Lower California, 1101 fms. Bottom Temp., 38.1°. Six specimens. Zoroaster platyacanthus 1 sp. nov. Plate XLIV, Figs. 1 and 2. Rays 5. R = 67 mm.; r = 9J mm. R = 7r. Breadth of ray at base, 10 mm. Disk rather convex (concave at center in type) ; rays moderately long, more or less flattened not attenuate; median radial ridge not prominent ; spines and spine- lets not very numerous, rather stout, rough-tipped; abactinal pedicellarise not very conspicuous. Abactinal skeleton rather heavy; primary plates of disk not specially conspicu- — flat wide + aKavda. = prickle, spine. 200 Bulletin American Museum of Natural History. [Vol. XXXII, ous and median radial series on arms not much larger than superomarginals; all of the larger plates carry spines and scattered well-spaced spinelets; on each plate there is a central spine, 1-2 mm. long, stout and more or less blunt, and there may be also two or three smaller spines, but the latter are not very constant in number or position; pedicellarise occur on most of the plates, but the largest of them are much smaller than the central spine. Between the median radial series of plates on each ray and the superomarginals there is only an incomplete series of small plates, and these are found only at the very base of the ray; the superomarginals are nearly as large as the median plates and the inferomarginals are little smaller; between the latter and the adambulacrals are three series of actinolateral plates, the uppermost of which are nearly as large as the inferomarginals and the lowermost are much smaller, nearly quadrilateral and about three times as long as high. Each marginal and actinolateral plate carries a central spine, and a few small spines or spinelets, well- spaced and mingled with pedicellarise; the spines on the superomarginals are like those on the median series; those on the inferomarginals are imperceptibly longer; those on the uppermost actinolaterals are longer and slightly flattened near the tip; those on the second series of actinolaterals are the longest (3-4 mm.) and are very wide and flat; those on the lowest actinolaterals are a little shorter, somewhat more slender and are less flattened. All three series of actinolateral plates are continued nearly if not quite to the tip of the ray. Between the lower series of actinolateral plates, there are no papular areas, but between the upper and second series, the areas are as large as abactinally. Be- tween the median and the superomarginal plates the papular areas are arranged in a double, alternating series. Elsewhere these areas are in single longitudinal series. There is only one papula to each area, and while it is large, it does not occupy all of the area, by any means. The adambulacral plates are arranged as usual in the genus, plates projecting into the furrow alternating with those which do not. The plates are separated from each other by distinct, membranous spaces; each plate is about three times as wide as long. On the projecting plates is a single series of four or five slender spines, the first of which is well up in the furrow; the second and third are about on the rounded angle of the plate, and the fourth (and fifth, when present) are on the actinal surface; the fourth spine (or fifth) is the smallest and more or less distinctly sacculate at tip; the second and third spines are of about equal size (2 mm. ±) or the third is largest. On the non-projecting plates are two or three spines, of which the first is largest and about equals the third spine of the alternating plates; the other spine (or spines)' is slightly sacculate at tip. Pedicellarise are not specially abun- dant; each furrow spine may carry one to three but many have none; in the inter- radial angles are a very few pedicellariae larger than elsewhere, and these may be 2 mm. long. Oral plates very short (as usual in Zoroaster), each with two marginal and two suboral spines, 1-2 mm. long; the distal marginal spine carries a cluster cf three or four small pedicellarise. Tube-feet in four distinct series. Madreporite smaller than a primary disk- plate, situated about half-way between center of disk and margin. Terminal plate of ray moderately large, with two spinelets at the tip and numerous much smaller ones crowded over its surface. Color completely lost in the preserved specimens which are dingy brownish-yellow. Type.— Cat. No. - -, U. S. N. M. from Station 5675 (not yet catalogued). 1913.] Clark, Echinoderms from Lower California. 201 In the presence of only three series of actinal intermediate plates and in its small median, radial plates, this species resembles Myxoderma, a sub- genus suggested by Fisher. But the spinelets are not sacculate, not at least to any notable degree, and there is only one papula to each area. This combination of characters taken with the long flat spines along the sides of the ray, actinally, serve to distinguish the species from any Zoroaster hitherto described. It is difficult to decide whether the flattened appear- ance of the rays is natural or artificial, but it is quite marked in both specimens. Possibly these specimens are not adult and spinelets and pedicellarite would both be more abundant with age. Station 5675. Southwest of San Cristobal Bay, west coast of Lower California, 284 fms. Bottom Temp., 44.6°. Two specimens. Heliaster kubiniji. Xantus, 1860. Proc. Philadelphia Acad. Nat. Sci., p. 568. All but one of these specimens is adult. Ten have 23 rays, three have 22 and one has 24. The largest has R -- 70 mm. Pichilingue Bay, east coast of Lower California. Ricason Island, Conception Bay, east coast of Lower California. Fourteen specimens. Pedicellaster hyperoncus l sp. nov. Plate XLIV, Figs. 3 and 4. Rays 5. R = 68 mm.; r == 7 mm. R = 9| r. Breadth of ray at base. 7 mm. Breadth of ray, 10 mm. from base, 11 mm. Breadth of ray, 10 mm. from tip, 7 mm. Disk small, flat; rays rather long, decidedly constricted at base and correspond- ingly swollen just beyond, not attenuate, bluntly pointed; median radial ridge not prominent ; spines not numerous, rather small; pedicellarise abundant. Papular areas on rays with 2-5 papulae. Adambulacral plates numerous with only one spine but often with a large pedicellaria also. Tube-feet in two well-defined rows. Abactinal skeleton fairly heavy on disk, but very open and rather delicate on rays. None of the primary plates are easily recognizable on disk. All of the disk plates carry spines, none of which are conspicuous, but the one near center of plate is the largest. On the rays, the plates usually carry only a single spine each. All the abactinal plates carry numerous small forcipiform pedicellariae ; they occur actinally as far as the inferomarginal plates, each of which carries one or two. 1 virtpoyxos = overgrown, of excessive size. 202 Bulletin American Museum of Natural History. [Vol. XXXII, Between the median radial series of plates and the superomarginals there is only a single, somewhat irregular series of abactinal plates. There are here and there indications of a second series but they are very scattered. The inferomarginals are widely separated from the superior series but adjoin the adambulacrals very closely, as there are no intermediate plates whatever. As a result of the widely reticular skeleton, the papular areas on the rays are large and conspicuous. On the disk they are small or moderate, each with one, or rarely two papulae. On the rays, each papular area is wider (or higher) than long and contains 2-5 papulae; these are usually arranged in a vertical series but are occasionally more scattered. The area may also contain an isolated calcareous plate or may be more or less bisected by a calcareous projection from one of its boundary plates. The areas between the two series of marginal plates are about 2| mm. high by one millimeter long and generally contain three (or two) papulae. The adambulacral plates are very numerous, about twenty to an octet of infero- marginals; they are small, the width about equal to the length and about two thirds of the height. Each plate carries one spine, 1.5 mm. long; in addition many plates have, usually on the inner margin, a large forficiform pedicellaria almost a millimeter high. Each inferomarginal plate carries, close to the adambulacral series, a spine 2 mm. long; these are the stoutest spines found on the animal. They are distinctly rough under a lens, more so than any of the other spines. Oral plates short; each carries two, or less commonly three, spines a trifle longer than those on the adambula- cral plates; generally two large forficiform pedicellarise are also present. Tube-feet large, in two well-marked series. Madreporite small, little more than a millimeter across, close to margin of disk. Color completely lost; the preserved specimen is the usual dingy brownish-yellow, approaching white. Type.— Cat. No. - — , U. S. X. M., from Station 5675. Although this species resembles the following in form and size, it is dis- tinguishable at once by the more numerous papulae and the characteristic adambulacral armature. The forficiform pedicellarise are also larger and much more numerous. The large size marks this species, in comparison with other members of the genus, for except the Indian species at rat us Alcock, which doubtless deserves separate generic rank, and the Panamic species improvisus Ludwig, with which it was taken, it is the giant of the genus. None of the Arctic, Atlantic or Antarctic species of the genus are half as large. Station 5075. Southwest of San Cristobal Bay, west coast of Lower California, 284 fins. Bottom Temp., 44.6°. One specimen. Pedicsllaster improvisus. Ludwig, 1905. Mem. M. C. Z., Vol. 32, p. 216. The specimen representing this species was taken with the one just described, and as it is in very poor condition, it was at first supposed to be 1913.] Clark, Echinoderms from Lower California. 203 that form. Examination however revealed the interesting fact that it is really the adult of improvisus, and is nearly twice as large as Ludwig's biggest specimen. R = 80 mm., r = 10 mm., R == Sr. The double series of adambulacral spines and the single papula in each area distinguish the species, and are well shown by this specimen, although it is discolored, badly distorted and shows the effect of an acid reagent of some sort. It is certainly an extraordinary fact that the 'Albatross' should have taken two specimens of Pedicellaster at Station 5675, representing perfectly distinct species, and then not met with a specimen of the genus elsewhere on her cruise. But I find it impossible to consider the two specimens from Station 5675 conspecific and the only other alternative is the " extraordinary fact" just stated. Pisaster ochraceus. Asterias ochracea BRANDT, 1835. Prod. desc. Anim., p. 269. Pisaster ochraceus FISHER, 1908. Smiths. Misc. Coll., Vol. 52, p. 89. Three good specimens, with R about 125 mm., represent this species but as there is no locality label, we can only assume they were collected at San Diego or some point still further south. The species has not yet been recorded from Lower California. Asterias forreri. De Loriol, 1887. Rec. Zool. Suisse, Vol. 4, p. 401. In deference to the opinion of my good friend and highly respected authority on starfishes, Dr. W. K. Fisher, I have been strongly inclined to record these specimens, the largest of which has R only about 48 mm., as Asterias sertulifera Xantus. But as I am unable to understand how they can belong to that species, I have finally decided to let matters stand as they are. When Professor H. S. Jennings was about to publish his most interesting and important paper on the behavior of Asterias, he did me the honor of asking me to identify the species with which his work was done, and specimens were sent me from La Jolla, California. It was soon evident that the species was either sertulifera Xantus or forreri de Loriol. As the former is described as having the rays only 2j times the diameter of the disk, the wreaths of pedicellarise near the tips of the spines, no pedicellarise scattered among the spines and only a single series of adambulacral spines, while forreri has the rays 4 times the diameter of the disk, the wreaths of pedicellariae near the bases of the spines, numerous scattered pedicellarise 204 Bulletin American Museum of Natural History. [Vol. XXXII, and a double series of adambulacral spines, I was satisfied that the La Jolla specimens, which showed clearly the latter group of characters, were forreri. Accordingly Dr. Jenning's paper was entitled "Behavior of the Starfish, Asterias forreri de Loriol." Recently there has appeared the first report of the Laguna Marine Laboratory of Pomona College. On page 89 "Coscinasterias sertulifera" is listed and Dr. Fisher is quoted as authority for the statement: 'This is the species (under the name Asterias ferrcri] upon which Prof. H. S. Jennings carried on a number of experiments at La Jolla. It is a member of the southern fauna, the type locality being Cape San Lucas. The true Coscinasterias ferrcri belongs to the northern fauna and is not found along shore." (Of course, Dr. Fisher is not re- sponsible for the misspelling of forreri). In correspondence Dr. Fisher has confirmed this statement and says further that sertulifera may have a double series of adambulacral spines. If this is so, I am puzzled to see what essential difference there is between the two species. In the M. C. Z. collection there is a large specimen of forreri from the type locality, Santa Cruz, on Monterey Bay, California. There are also two specimens from Monterey, identified and labelled by Dr. Fisher as forreri. Then there are specimens from La Jolla and from Lower California, which I have called forreri. On going over this material again and comparing it with the speci- mens in the 'Albatross' collection now before me, I am unable to see what the specific differences are. I have never seen an authentic specimen of sertulifera but to judge from Xantus' description, it ought to be quite differ- ent horn, forreri. It may be that specimens of forreri from deep water are distinguishably different from the shore specimens, like those from La Jolla, which I have called forreri. However, in view of the present confusion existing in the American Pacific coast species of Asterias, I think it best to present this case as I have and leave the matter with Dr. Fisher for ultimate decision. San Francisquito Bay, east coast of Lower California. Fourteen specimens. Brisinga panamensis. Ludwig, 1905. Mem. M. C. Z., Vol. 32, p. 258. All of the specimens are badly damaged and only one has any arms still attached to the disk. They show considerable diversity in some details but on the whole, it seems probable they all represent the Panamic species. The largest has the disk 24 mm. across; in the smallest it is 11. Only the largest specimen has 9 rays; all the others have 8. Among Ludwig's specimens only one had 8; all the others had 9. 1913.] Clark, Echinoderms from Lower California. 205 Station 5673. Off Pt. San Tomas, west coast of Lower California, 1090 fms. Station 5690. Off Rosario Bay, west coast of Lower California, 1101 fms. Bottom Temp., 38.1°. Station 5691. Off Pt. San Tomas, west coast of Lower California, 868 fms. Bottom Temp., 37.2°. Six specimens. OPHIUROIDEA. Ophioderma panamensis. Liitken, 1859. Add. ad Hist., pt. 2, p. 91. This species is evidently common in the Gulf of California, as a large series was brought home by the 'Albatross.' The largest are about twenty millimeters across the disk. Young individuals have the arms quite distinctly banded, but in large specimens, the bands seem to be confined to the tips of the arms. Pichilingue Bay, east coast of Lower California. San Francisquito Bay, east coast of Lower California. Sixty-one specimens. Ophioderma variegata. Liitken, 1856. Vid. Med., p. 21. The most highly colored animal in the whole collection is one of the representatives of this tropical species. The disk is bright green, the arms are banded with green and grayish-green, and the base of each arm with the adjoining portion of the disk is bright rose-red. In two specimens, the disk is dull yellowish-brown. The largest individual is 10 mm. across the disk. McClendon (1909, Univ. Cala. Publ. Zool., Vol. 6, no. 3) does not include this species in his list of ophiurans from the San Diego region and it is quite possible that it does not occur on the west coast of Lower Cali- fornia. "Lower California." Agua Verde Bay, east coast of Lower California. Four specimens. 206 Bulletin American Museum of Natural History. [Vol. XXXII, Diopederma l gen. nov. Disk very flat; arms flattened, especially at base, where they are twice as wide as at middle. Disk more or less completely covered with granules. Oral papillae numerous; teeth present, but no tooth-papillae. Arm-spines small and numerous, appressed to side arm-plates. Tentacle scales two. Genital slits small, four in each interradial area, of which two lie close to oral shield, one on each side, and two are dorsal in position, lying just distal to radial shields; these dorsal slits are placed in slight prominences which carry papilliform granules, those adjoining the slits being the longest while the more distant ones merge into the disk granulation; the long axis of each slit is nearly at right angles to the long axis of the arm. Type-species. — Ophiura daniana Verrill, 1867. Trans. Conn. Acad., Vol. 1, p. 254. From La Union, Salvador. Type in Peabody Museum, Yale University, New Haven, Conn. In his description of the type-species, Verrill says: 'The peculiarity in the form and position of the upper genital openings may hereafter require this species to be separated generically from Ophiura, if accompanied by corresponding internal differences in structure." In my judgment, such an extraordinary arrangement of the genital openings, indicating as it does an extreme development of the unusual condition characteristic of Ophio- dcrma, is ample ground for establishing a new genus, regardless of " in- ternal differences," although one can hardly doubt that such a marked external character is accompanied by internal peculiarities. The genus is a most interesting one and I have selected for its type the species described by Verrill, since it is possible that the following species will prove to be identical with it. Diopederma axiologum - sp. nov. Plate XLV, Figs. 5-7. Disk 16 mm. in diameter; arms 54 mm. long; the smaller specimen is 10 mm. across. Disk pentagonal, very flat, closely covered with a fine granulation (about 150 grains to a square millimeter). This granulation leaves uncovered the greater part of each radial shield and the following plates in addition; in the type, a series of three plates along each radius, two lying between the radial shields and the third proximal to them; the first and biggest of these plates is larger than the first upper arm-plate, which lies distal to it; (the second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth upper arm-plates are each successively bigger, until the sixth is the widest of the upper arm- plates, while the succeeding plates are longer but become successively narrower; the first five plates are within the limits of the disk); a series of three or four small 1 51- = double, 671-17 = a hole in the name of the most nearly allied genus). = remarkable. roof, skin (the terminal portion of the 1913.] Clark, Echinoderma from Luu-i r California. 207 plates in each interradius, the most distal the largest; a very small plate on each side of the first upper arm-plate, and two very small plates lying on each side of the radial series, proximal to the radial shields; in the smaller specimen, these plates are all relatively larger and are fully exposed; in addition, about forty other plates on the disc are bare, but these are small and do not seem to be definitely arranged. Around the dorsal genital slits, the granules are from a fourth to a third of a millimeter in length and are thus quite spiniform. Upper arm plates at base of arm, wider than long, tetragonal, in contact for their full width; they gradually become longer than wide and broader distally than proximally, until at tip of arm they are triangular and scarcely in contact. Interbrachial spaces below granulated distally but proxi- mally the plates are simply bordered with minute grains. Genital slits very small; first pair (close to oral shield) is scarcely half the length of the first side-arm plate; second pair about as long, situated transverse to the long axis of the arm, in an ele- vation on the dorsal side of the disk, just distal to the radial shields. Oral shields distinctly longer than wide, hexagonal with rounded angles in the type, but in the smaller specimen more nearly triangular with a rounded, distal base. Adoral plates rather short and wide, at sides of oral shields; they meet within in the smaller speci- men, but are widely separated in the type. Oral plates large, two thirds as large as adorals, bearing in the smaller specimen a few granules, which are much more numerous in the type. Oral papillae, nine on a side; ninth (distalmost) longest but very narrow; eighth largest, nearly as wide as long; inner ones successively narrower and more pointed. No pores between basal under arm-plates. First under arm- plate large, wider than long, roughly hexagonal; succeeding plates hexagonal, or somewhat octagonal, with rounded angles, broadly in contact, wider than long on basal third of arm but gradually becoming longer than wide and more pointed proxi- mally, until at very tip of arm, they are triangular and well separated from each other; the fifth or sixth plate is widest, measuring in the type, 2 mm. wide and about 1 mm. long. Side arm-plates large, but broadly separated both above and below until near tip of arm; each plate carries on its distal margin, six (at middle of arm) to eleven (eighth side arm-plate), short, flat, appressed spines; uppermost sharply pointed, lower ones less noticeably so; third from bottom longest, about equal to one half the length of the arm-joint. Tentacle-scales two, inner the larger: outer does not overlap base of lowest arm-spine. Color (dried from alcohol) pale ashy- gray above, finely mottled with black and cream-color; most upper arm-plates have a light spot on their distal margin; arms faintly banded with blackish, some 15- 20 indistinct dark markings showing on each arm; lower surface pale cream-color; smaller specimen like type, but a little darker. Type — Cat. No. - — , U. S. N. M. from Cape St. Lucas, L. C. Whether these specimens represent a new species or should be referred to Ophiura daniana Verrill has been a source of much perplexity to me. Through the kindness of Miss K. J. Bush, one of the type specimens of Yen-ill's species was loaned me by the Peabody Museum and I have thus been enabled to compare the specimens from Lower California directly with one of those from Salvador. While the distance of fifteen hundred miles between the two localities is not specially significant, I have concluded that until specimens are known from the intervening coast, it will be quite 208 Bulletin American Museum of Natural History. [Vol. XXXII, proper to consider the differences between the specimens as probably.specific. The most striking of these differences is in the granulation of the disk; in the specimens from Lower California, many plates are exposed, while in the one from Salvador (see also Verrill's description) no plates except portions of some radial shields are free from the granules. The interbrachial areas below are also more closely granulated in the Salvadorian specimens, and the oral shields are less angular and more oval. These differences are not a matter of size, since Verrill's cotype is intermediate between the two from Cape St. Lucas, but it may be that they come well within the limits of individual variation in daniana. Until this can be shown however, the latter name may be kept for the southern specimens wyith no exposed disk plates, while a.riologum should be used for the northern form with many exposed disk plates. If this difference is shown to be inconstant, then axiologum will become a synonym of daniana, but the status of the genus and its designated type will remain unaltered. Cape St. Lucas. Two specimens. Ophiura flagellata. Ophioglypha flagellata LYMAN, 1878. Bull. M. C. Z., Vol. 5, p. 69. Ophiura flagellata MEISSNER, 1901. Bronn's Thierreichs, Vol. 2, pt. 3, p. 925. There is a single adult specimen with the disk 25 mm. across and well covered with plates. Lines of decalcification radiate from the center of the disk in each radius and interradius; the latter are the longer, extending two thirds of the way to the margin. Station 5677. North of Cape San Lazaro, west coast of Lower Cali- fornia, 735 fms. Bottom Temp., 38.6°. Ophiura superba. Ophioglypha superba LUTKEN and MORTENSEN, 1899. Mem. M. C. Z., Vol. 23, p. 116. Ophiura superba MEISSNER, 1901. Bronn's Thierreichs, Vol. 2, pt. 3, p. 925. Ophiura hadra, H. L. CLARK, 1911. Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., No. 75, p. 80. While comparing one of these newly taken specimens with a cotype of xi/perba L. &. M. and a cotype of hadra H. L. C., it became perfectly obvious that those two species are identical and there is no excuse to be offered for publishing hadra as a "new species." The present collection contains a good series, with disk-diameters ranging from 4 to 33 mm. 1913.] Clark, Echinoderms from Lower California. 209 Station 5685. Southwest from Ballenas Bay, west coast of Lower California, 645 fms. Station 5686. Off Ballenas Bay, west coast of Lower California, 930, fms. Bottom Temp., 37.3°. Station 5693. Northwest of San Nicolas Island, California, 451 fms. Station 5694. Southwest of Santa Cruz Island, California, 640 fms. Station 5695. Southwest of Santa Rosa Island, California, 534 fms. Bottom Temp., 38.9°. Station 5699. Southwest from Monterey Bay, California, 659 fms. Bottom Temp., 37.9°. Bathymetrical range, 451-930 fms. Temperature range, 38.9°-37.3°. Thirty-two specimens. Ophiura irrorata. Ophioglypha irrorta LYMAN, 1878. Bull. M. C. Z., Vol. 5, p. 73. Ophiura irrorata MEISSNER, 1901. Bronn's Thierreichs, Vol. 2, pt. 3, p. 925. See also H. L. Clark, 1911. Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., No. 75, p. 62. Three very large specimens add a new locality to the range of this almost cosmopolitan species. The largest one (disk-diameter, 38 mm.) is consider- ably larger than any that has hitherto been recorded. Station 5684. Southwest from Magdalena Bay, east coast of Lower California, 1760 fms. Ophiura leptoctenia. H. L. Clark, 1911. .Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., no. 75, p. 51. The finding of this species off central and southern California extends its known range far southward. None of the specimens are noteworthy. Station 5694. Southwest of Santa Cruz Island, California, 640 fms. Station 5695. Southwest of Santa Rosa Island, California, 534 fms. Bottom Temp., 38.9°. Station 5699. Southwest from Monterey Bay, California, 659 fms. Bottom Temp., 37.9°. Twenty-eight specimens. Ophiura ponderosa. Ophioglypha ponderosa LYMAN, 1878. Bull. M. C. Z., Vol. 5. p. 93. Ophiura ponderosa MEISSNER, 1901. Bronn's Thierreichs, Vol. 2, pt. 3, p. 925. A single small specimen is the only representative of this species. Station 5694. Southwest of Santa Cruz Island, California, 640 fms. 210 Bulletin American Museum of Natural History. [Vol. XXXII, Ophiura oligopora l sp. nov. Plate XLY, Figs. 8 and 9. Disk 9 mm. in diameter (6 in the smaller specimen); arms broken but about 22 mm. long. Disk moderately high, especially the radial areas; the center is some- what depressed. Disk covered by some 200 plates, among which the central primary plate and a plate near each interradial margin are rather conspicuous; in the smaller specimen the primary radial plates are also easily made out. Radial shields large, (longer than wide), in contact at middle and clistally, but with outer ends separated by first upper arm-plate and inner ends separated by one or two large scales. All the plates of the disk are thick and many are more or less swollen, but there are no knobs or tubercles developed. Arms rather short, nearly cylindrical. Upper arm- plates tetragonal, the proximal margin less than the distal; outer corners rounded: first three or four plates wider than long but remaining plates increasingly longer than wide; all broadly in contact so far as the broken arms indicate. Interbrachial areas below covered by 30-35 plates. Oral shields larger, longer than wide, penta- gonal with a proximal angle, which the adoral plates adjoin, and the outer corners rounded; genital slits cause a slight reentrant angle on each side. Adoral plates narrow, on proximal sides of oral shields; oral plates about equal in size to adorals, swollen at proximal end. Oral papillae about five on a side; outermost as wide as next two together; only innermost, papillifonn. Genital slits long and conspicuous. Genital scales short and wide distally; broadly visible from above; each scale carries ten or a dozen small papillae, which form a continuous series orally with the minute papillae on margin of genital slit ; aborally the two or three papillae, visible from above, are the largest, but they are inconspicuous and the arm-comb has the appearance of incompleteness. First under arm-plate very large, almost as large as second, wider than long, imperfectly octagonal with rounded corners; second plate pentagonal, wider than long; third plate similar but proximal side very short and distal angle rounded, about as long as wide; succeeding plates wider than long becoming almost spindle-shaped but outer corners rather obtuse; all the plates except first and second (and in the type, the second and third) are separated from each other. Side arm- plates large, broadly in contact beneath but narrowly separated above, at least on basal half of arm; each plate bears three minute, well-spaced, blunt, peg-like arm-spines, of which the uppermost is a trifle the longest. Oral tentacle-pores not opening into mouth-slit, guarded on either side by three or four small scales; on succeeding pores the number of scales becomes rapidly reduced, until on the fifth pore there are only two scales on outer side and one on inner; the seventh pore has one tentacle-scale and after that not even a pore is visible. Color (dried from alcohol), white. Type.— Cat. No. 00000, U. S. N. M. from Station 5683. Comparison of descriptions alone shows that this species is very near 0. rugosa Lyman, collected by the 'Challenger' in 700 fms. near Xew Zealand. Comparison of specimens of the same size however, reveals 1 6X170? = few + Ttopos = pore, in reference to the reduction of the tentacle-pores. 1913.] Clark, Echinoderms from Lower California. 211 differences which show that we are dealing with two species. The general appearance is dissimilar because the disk-scales of rucjosa are fewer and much more swollen, and the arms, while fully as short, are much more slender. The arm-spines too are pointed and the upper arm-plates and oral shields have a different shape. Apparently the tentacle pores do not continue to the tip of the arm in rugosa but there seem to be more than in oligopora. This new species is quite unlike any yet recorded from the western Pacific ocean and is not likely to be confused with any of them. It was taken, unfortunately, at only one station. Station 5683. Off Cape St. Lucas, Lower California, 630 fms. Bottom Temp., 39.1°. Two specimens. Ophiocten pacificum. Liitken and Mortensen, 1899. Mem. M. C. Z.. Vol. 23, p. 131. This is apparently one of the commonest ophiurans of the North Pacific ocean, as it has been found in numbers by the 'Albatross' at numerous stations from Ecuador to Washington, and in Japanese waters as well. Most of the specimens in the present collection are in very poor condition and are not noteworthy. Station 5673. Off Pt. San Tomas, west coast of Lower California. 1090 fms. Station 5688. Off Cedros Island, west coast of Lower California, 525 fms. Bottom Temp., 39.9°. Station 5689. Off Rosario Bay, west coast of Lower California, 879 fms. Station 5691. Off Pt. San Tomas, west coast of Lower California, 868 fms. Bottom Temp., 37.2°. Station 5692. Off Pt. San Tomas, west coast of Lower California, 1076 fms. Bottom Temp., 37.1°. Station 5693. Northwest of San Nicolas Island, California, 451 fms. Station 5694. Southwest of Santa Cruz Island, California, 640 fms. Station 5695. Southwest of Santa Rosa Island, California, 534 fms. Bottom Temp., 38.9°. Bathymetrical range, 451 to 1090 fms. Temperature range, 39.9°- 37.1°. Two hundred and thirty -three specimens. 212 Bulletin American Museum of Natural History. [Vol. XXXII, Ophiernus adspersus. Lyman, 1883. Bull. M. C. Z., Vol. 10, p. 236. For some notes in regard to this specimen, see under the following species. Station 5676. Off San Juanico, west coast of Lower California, 647 fms. Bottom Temp., 39°. One specimen. Ophiernus polyporus. Lutken and Mortensen, 1899. Mem. M. C. Z., Vol. 23, p. 109. A dozen or more specimens of Ophiernus seem to be referable to this species, but studying them in connection with the single specimen just mentioned has raised grave doubts as to whether polyporus is a valid species, distinct from adspersus, or not. The specimen of adspersus listed above from station 5676 is a large adult and comparison with West Indian speci- mens shows it is a typical example of the species. Another specimen, almost exactly like it, and also from station 5676, has the characteristic pores of polyporus present on the fifth joint of each arm and in four of the arms on one or both sides of the fourth or sixth joint, and in one arm on the seventh and eighth joints also; the pores are smaller than in a typical polyporus but are otherwise similar. In a third specimen from the same station, the pores are present on the third to eighth joints of all the arms. In typical polyporus, the pores extend out to the fifteenth to twenty-fifth joint. So far as I can see the presence of these pores is the only thing which distinguishes polyporus from adspersus, and I have therefore drawn an arbitrary line by which one of these specimens (as noted above) is set off as adspersus and the rest are called polyporus. The available material is in too poor condition for me to satisfy myself as to whether the presence of a few pores is indicative of hybridization or whether the presence and num- ber of pores is a matter of individual diversity. The fact that polyporus has as yet been taken only in the vicinity of southern Lower California, off the Mexican coast and near Panama, while adspersus is practically cosmopolitan in deep water, indicates the specific importance of the pores. Better material must be awaited before the question can be definitely settled. Apparently Ophiernus is very fragile, all reported material being more or less badly damaged by its collection or journey in the trawrl. The specimens of polyporus in the present collection were taken at the following points: 1913.] Clark, Echinoderms from Lower California. 213 Station 5676. Off San Juanico, west coast of Lower California, 647 fms. Bottom Temp., 39°. Station 5682. Off Cape St. Lucas, Lower California, 491 fms. Bottom Temp., 40.8°. Fourteen specimens. Ophiomusium glabrum. Liitken and Mortensen, 1899. Mem. M. C. Z., Vol. 23, p. 132. Ophiomusium multispinum H. L. CLARK, 1911. Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., No. 75, p. 113. This is one of the commonest deep water ophiurans of the western Pacific, ranging from the equator to 47° N. lat. in water from 480 to 2232 fms. deep. The largest specimen in the present collection has the disk 35 mm. across and comparison of this individual with a cotype of multi- spinum shows that the latter is, as I suspected when describing it, identical with glabrum. The differences pointed out are individual and not specific, proving to be quite inconstant. Station 5673. Off Pt. San Tomas, west coast of Lower California, 1090 fms. Station 5684. Southwest from Magdalena Bay, west coast of Lower California, 1760 fms. Station 5686. Off Ballenas Bay, west coast of Lower California, 930 fms. Bottom Temp., 37.3°. Station 5687. Off Pt. Santa Eugenia, west coast of Lower California, 480 fms. Bottom Temp., 41.1°. Station 5689. Off Rosario Bay, west coast of Lowrer California, 879 fms. Station 5690. Off Rosario Bay, west coast of Lower California, 1101 fms. Bottom Temp., 38.1°. Station 5691. Off Pt. San Tomas, west coast of Lower California, 868 fms. Bottom Temp., 37.2°. Bathymetrical range, 480-1760 fms. Temperature range, 41.1°-37.2°. Seventy specimens. Ophiomusium lymani. Wyville Thomson, 1873. The Depths of the Sea, p. 172. This, the commonest and most widespread of deep-sea ophiurans, is represented by a large and uninteresting series of specimens, whose disk- diameters range from 2| to 30 mm. 214 Bulletin American Museum of Natural History. [Vol. XXXII, Station 5673. Off Pt. San Tomas, west coast of Lower California, 1090 fms. Station 5686. Off Ballenas Bay, west coast of Lower California, 930 fms. Bottom Temp., 37.3°. Station 5689. Off Rosario Bay, west coast of Lower California, 879 fms. Station 5690. Off Rosario Bay, west coast of Lower California, 1101 fms. Bottom Temp., 38.1°. Station 5691. Off Pt. San Tomas, west coast of Lower California, 868 fms. Bottom Temp., 37.2°. Station 5692. Off Pt. San Tomas, west coast of Lower California, 1076 fms. Bottom Temp., 37.1°. Bathymetrical range, 868-1101 fms. Temperature range, 3S.1°-37.1°. Two hundred and thirteen specimens. Amphiura carchara. H. L. Clark, 1911. Bull. U. S. N. M., No. 75, p. 142. The occurrence of this species off Lower California extends its range very far southwards on the American coast. The specimens range from 4 to 8 mm. across the disk but show no notable peculiarities. Station 5673. Off Pt. San Tomas, west coast of Lower California, 1090 fms. Four specimens. Amphiura diomedeae. Liitken and Mortensen, 1899. Mem. M. C. Z., Vol. 23, p. 151. This wide-ranging species is represented by four adult specimens; in one the disk-diameter exceeds 15 mm. but the arms are all broken; in another the disk measures 13 mm. across and one of the arms is about 135 mm. or fully ten times the disk-diameter. Station 5694. Southwest of Santa Cruz Island, California, 640 fms. Station 5698. Off Monterey County, California, 475 fms. Bottom Temp., 39.9°. Station 5699. Southwest from Monterey Bay, California, 659 fms. Bottom Temp., 37.9°. 1913.] Clark, Echinoderms from Lower California. 215 Amphiura serpentina. Lutken and Mortensen, 1899. Mem. M. C. Z., Vol. 23, p. 143. Although the specimens are not in very good condition, I do not think the identification is in doubt. They seem to be intermediate between the typical form and the var. a of Lutken and Mortensen. Station 5GS3. Off Cape St. Lucas, Lower California, 630 fms. Bottom Temp., 39.1°. Station 5685. Southwest from Ballenas Bay, west coast of Lower California, 645 fms. Station 5698. Off Monterey County, California, 475 fms. Bottom Temp., 39.9°. Six specimens. Amphiodia dalea. Amphiura dalea LYMAN, 1879. Bull. M. C. Z., Vol. 6, p. 27. These specimens, of which the largest is 15 mm. across the disk, agree almost exactly with those discussed by Lutken and Mortensen (1899, Mem. M. C. Z., Vol. 23, p. 154), and on comparison with cotypes from the southern Atlantic I find no reason to criticize their identification. Verrill (1899, Trans. Conn. Acad., Vol. 10, p. 315) places the species in Amphioplus, no doubt because of Lyman's figure, but as Lutken and Mortensen point out that figure is misleading. There are really only three oral papillae on each side. Station 5684. Southwest from Magdalena Bay, west coast of Lower California, 1760 fms. Station 5692. Off Pt. San Tomas, west coast of Lower California, 1076 fms. Bottom Temp., 37.1°. Three specimens. Ophionsreis annulata. Ophiokpis annulata LECONTE, 1851. Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., Vol. 5, p. 317. Ophionereis annulata LYMAN, 1860. Proc. Boston Soc. Nat. Hist., Vol. 7, p. 203. There is a good series of this well known species, the smallest 5 mm., the largest 18 mm., across the disk. Northern end, east side, Cedros Island, west coast of Lower California. 216 Bulletin American Museum of Natural History. [Vol. XXXII, San Francisquito Bay, east coast of Lower California. Pichilingue Bay, east coast of Lower California. Forty specimens. Ophiacantha bairdi. Lyman, 1883. Bull. M. C. Z., Vol. 10, p. 256. The specimens are all in poor condition and call for no comment. Station 5688. Off Cedros Island, west coast of Lower California, 525 fms. Bottom Temp., 39.9°. Station 5693. Northwest of San Nicolas Island, California, 451 fms. Five specimens. Ophiacantha bathybia. H. L. Clark, 1911. Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., No. 75, p. 233. These specimens call for no special comment but the occurrence of the species off Lower California extends its range very far southward. The bathymetrical and temperature ranges are scarcely affected however. Station 5673. Off Pt. San Tomas, west coast of Lower California, 1090 fms. Station 5691. Off Pt. San Tomas, west coast of Lower California, 868 fms. Bottom Temp., 37.2°. Twelve specimens. Ophiacantha moniliformis. Liitken and Mortensen, 1899. Mem. M. C. Z., Vol. 23, p. 171. These specimens extend the range of this species considerably to the northward and into much shallower water. Station 5675. Southwest of San Cristobal Bay, west coast of Lower California, 284 fms. Bottom Temp., 44.6°. Three specimens. Ophiacantha normani. Lyman, 1879. Bull. M. C. Z., Vol. 6, p. 58. This species is one of the most common in the North Pacific ocean, and there is nothing notable about its numerous representatives in the present collection. 1913.] Clark, Echinoderms from Lower California. 217 Station 5694. Southwest of Santa Cruz Island, California, 640 fms. Station 5695. Southwest of Santa Rosa Island, California, 534 fms. Bottom Temp., 38.9°. Station 5698. Off Monterey County, California, 475 fms. Bottom Temp., 39.9°. Station 5699. Southwest from Monterey Bay, California, 659 fms. Bottom Temp., 37.9°. Bathymetrical range, 475-659 fms. Temperature range, 39.9°-37.9°. One hundred and fifty-three specimens. Ophiacantha rhachophora. H. L. Clark, 1911. Bull. U. S. N. M., No. 75, p. 201. There is always room for doubt in the identification of small Ophia- canthas and the occurrence of this species on the coast of California and near Cape St. Lucas is certainly unexpected, but after comparing the present specimens with others from Bering Sea and Japan, I think they may fairly be called rhachophora. It is quite likely however, that the young of several species are now included under that name. The largest of these specimens has the disk only 7 mm. across. Station 5683. Off Cape St. Lucas, Lower California, 630 fms. Bottom Temp., 39.1°. Station 5693. Northwest of San Nicolas Island, California, 451 fms. Station 5695. Southwest of Santa Rosa Island, California, 534 fms. Bottom Temp., 38.9°. Twelve specimens. Ophiocoma setliiops. Ltitken, 1859. Add. ad Hist., pt. 2, p. 145. Only a single specimen of this common Panamic species is in the collec- tion. It is a large adult from Angel de la Guardia Island, Gulf of California. Ophiocoma alexandri. Lyman, 1860. Proc. Boston Soc. Nat. Hist., Vol. 7, p. 256. There is a good series of this less common species but it was only found at one locality. San Francisquito Bay, east coast of Lower California. Ten specimens. 218 Bulletin American Museum of Natural History. [Vol. XXXII, Ophiothrix spiculata. LeConte, 1851, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci., Philadelphia, Vol. 5, p. 318. Another common Panamic species, this Ophiothrix, is represented by only a small series, mostly in poor condition. San Esteban Island, Gulf of California. San Francisquito Bay, east coast of Lower California. Station 5678. Magdalena Bay, west coast of Lower California, 13^ fms. Five specimens. Astroschema sublaeve. Lutken and Mortensen, 1899. Mem. M. C. Z., Vol. 23, p. 187. This fine species is represented by only a single specimen, but that is an adult in beautiful condition. Station 5695. Southwest of Santa Rosa Island, California, 534 fms. Bottom Temp., 38.9°. Asteronyx dispar. Lutken and Mortensen, 1899. Mem. M. C. Z., Vol. 23, p. 185. The large series of Asteronyx in the collection fall into three groups, representing species two of which were found by the 'Albatross' in 1891 in her exploration of the Panamic region, while the third was taken by the same vessel at numerous stations from California northward to Bering Sea. It is interesting to note that no two of these species occurred at the same station either in 1891 or in 1911. The present species, dispar, has a wide range, extending from the Galapagos archipelago to southern California. It seems to be a well defined species, easily recognized by the number and appearance of the arm-spines. The specimens at hand range in disk- diameter from 5 to 17 mm. Station 5689. Off Rosario Bay, west coast of Lower California, 879 fms. Station 5690. Off Rosario Bay, west coast of Lower California, 1101 fms. Bottom Temp., 38.1°. Station 5691. Off Pt. San Tomas, west coast of Lower California, 868 fms - Bottom Temp., 37.2°. Station 5692. Off Pt. San Tomas, west coast of Lower California, 1076 fms. Bottom Temp., 37.1°. 1913.] Clark, Echinoderms from Lower California. 219 Station 5693. Northwest of San Nicolas Island, California, 451 fms. Bathymetrical range, 451-1101 fms. Temperature range, 3S.1°-37.1°. Twenty-one specimens. Asteronyx excavata. Lutken and Mortensen, 1899. Mem. M. C. Z., Vol. 23, p. 185. This species seems to be confined to the region of southern Lower California and the Tres Marias Islands. It was found in the latter area by the 'Albatross' in 1891. It is a well characterized, and apparently rare species. The largest specimen in the present collection is 26 mm. across the disk, or about one third larger than the specimen described by Lutken and Mortensen. Station 5682. Off Cape St. Lucas, Lower California, 491 fms. Bottom Temp., 40.8°. Station 5688. Off Cedros Island, west coast of Lower California, 525 fms. Bottom Temp., 39.9°. Five specimens. Asteronyx loveni. Muller and Troschel, 1842. Sys. Ast., p. 119. Except for the large lot (79) of young specimens taken at Station 5675, this well known species was not common, but was taken only three times and then off the coast of California. The largest specimens from Station 5675 are only 16 mm. across the disk and while I fail to find any good reason for not calling them lomii, I confess to being suspicious of them. They are certainly not either plana, dispar or excavata and comparison with young loveni from off British Columbia and Alaska has made me feel they should be called loveni. If some adult loveni had been taken at the same or some neighboring station, I should be better satisfied with my decision. Station 5675. Southwest of San Cristobal Bay, west coast of Lower California, 284 fms. Bottom Temp., 44.6°. Station 5694. Southwest of Santa Cruz Island, California, 640 fms. Station 5698. Off Monterey County, California, 475 fms. Bottom Temp., 39.9°. Station 5699. Southwest from Monterey Bay, California, 659 fms. Bottom Temp., 37.9°. Bathymetrical range, 284-659 fms. Temperature range, 44.6°-37.9°. Eighty-two specimens. 220 Bulletin American Museum of Natural History. [Vol. XXXII, ECHINOIDEA Eucidaris thouarsii. i Cidaris thouarsii AGASSIZ and DESOR, 1846. Ann. Sci. Nat., Vol. 6, p. 326. Encidaris thouarsii DODERLEIN, 1887. Jap. Seeigel, p. 42. There is only a single specimen, a small one, from San Josef Island, Gulf of California. Centrostephanus coronatus. Echinodiadema coronata VERRILL, 1867. Trans. Conn. Acad., Vol. 1, p. 294. Centrostephanus coronatus A. AGASSIZ, 1872. Rev. Ech., Pt. 1, p. 97. This little known species is represented simply by young individuals, the largest only 25 mm. h. d.1 San Josef Island, Gulf of California. San Esteban Island, Gulf of California. Agua Verde Bay, east coast of Lower California. Five specimens. Arbacia incisa comb. nov. Echinocidaris incisa A. AGASSIZ, 1863. Bull. M. C. Z., Vol. 1, p. 20. (= Arbacia stellata, Echinus stellatus DE BLAINVILLE, 1825, non Gmelin, 1788). Since it is certain that Echinus stellatus of de Blainville is not identical with Echinus stellatus Gmelin, it is clear that the name cannot be used for de Blainville's species even though we do not know at present what species Gmelin had in mind. A. Agassiz's name seems to be the first available one. The species is characteristic of the Panamic region and while its northern limit is not yet definitely known, it is probably south of the United States. In 1901, I published (Proc. Boston Soc. Nat. Hist., Vol. 29, pp. 331, 332) records of the occurrence of this and four other Panamic echini and one or more Panamic starfishes, in Puget Sound. Some years later it came out that the collections sent to me as from Puget Sound, contained material not only from Puget Sound but from some point on the Pacific coast south of the United States and also apparently from the West Indies. Fisher (1911, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus. No. 76) has recently called at- tention to this regrettable fact, in the case of the starfishes and I therefore i This abbreviation for "horizontal diameter" will be used throughout this report. 1913.] Clark, Echinoderms from Lower California. 221 wish to correct, so far as possible, the errors concerning the Echini. The Arbacia stellata recorded is undoubtedly from somewhere in the Panamic region, on the west coast of Central America or Mexico, or in the Gulf of California. The same is true of the Diadcina j/ic.ricanum, To.n>i»i mutes semituberculatus and Clypeaster rotundus. As near as can be determined now the " Echinomctra oblonga" was an Echinometra lucutttcr from the West Indies but as the specimen seems to be no longer extant, the matter cannot be positively determined. None of the Arbacias in the present 'Albatross' collection are adult, the largest being only 17 mm. h. d. San Josef Island, Gulf of California. San Esteban Island, Gulf of California. Agua Verde Bay, Gulf of California. Twelve specimens. Lytechinus anamesus. H. L. Clark, 1912. Mem. M. C. Z., Vol. 34, p. 254. This recently described species was met writh at only one place, although it is widely spread in the region. The largest specimen is very much larger than any previously known, measuring 37 mm. h. d. and 23 mm. high. San Bartolome Bay, west coast of Lower California. Off Pt. San Bartolome, west coast of Lower California, with "boat- dredge." Depth not given. March 14, 1911. Six specimens. Lytechinus pictus. Psammechimts pictus VERRILL, 1867. Trans. Conn. Acad. Vol. 1, p. 301. Lytechinus pictus H. L. CLARK, 1912. Mem. M. C. Z., Vol. 34, p. 258. All of the specimens are young, the largest only about 16 mm. h. d. "Lower California." Agua Verde Bay, east coast of Lower California. Twenty-six specimens. Strongylocentrotus fragilis. Jackson, 1912. Mem. Boston Soc. Nat. Hist., Vol. 7, p. 128. This is still another species represented only by young specimens, the largest only about 40 mm. h. d. 222 Bulletin American Museum of Natural History. [Vol. XXXII, Station 5687. Off Pt. Santa Eugenia, west coast of Lower California, 480 fms. Bottom Temp., 41.1°. Station 5694. Southwest of Santa Cruz Island, California, 640 fms. Station 5696. Off San Luis Obispo County, California, 440 fms. Bottom Temp., 39.9°. Three specimens. Strongylocentrotus franciscanus. Toxo<-iix from Lower California. 223 The largest in 110 mm. across, but only 92 mm. long, owing to the fact that both posterior divisions of the test (between the median lumile and the postero-lateral notches) were long ago lost (bitten off?) and although healed are not at all regenerated. One specimen is 25 mm. across, and the lunule and all the notches, except the mid-anterior, are distinct. The smallest specimen is about 14 mm. across and only the lunule and posterior notches are clearly seen. These small specimens are pale brown, almost fawn- color, while the adults are deep purplish-brown, almost black. Cape St. Lucas, Lower California. Mulege Bay, east coast of Lower California. Tiburon Island, Gulf of California. Nineteen specimens. Encope micropora. L. Agassiz, 1841. Mon. Scut., p. 50. These specimens are all large, measuring 90-120 mm. across, the length not quite equalling the width. The color varies from dull yellowish-brown to almost black. One specimen is labelled "Tiburon Island" but as all the others are from the west coast of Lower California, while the other Encopes from Tiburon Island are (/ntix/ix, it seems possible there may have been a slip in the labelling. Yet in view of the wide range of micropora, its occurrence in the Gulf of California is most probable; indeed, it has been recorded from Guaymas, Mexico. Ballenas Bay, west coast of Lower California. South end of Magdalena Bay, west coast of Lower California. Tiburon Island, Gulf of California. Ten specimens. Urechinus loveni. Cystechinus loveni A. AGASSIZ, 1898. Bull. M. C. Z., Vol. 32, p. 79. Urechinus loveni MORTENSEN, 1907. "Ingolf " Ech., Pt. 2, p. 50. This rare and remarkable echinoid is represented by only one complete specimen, although the fragments of a number of others show that it is common in certain places such as Station 5684. The test is so thin and fragile and the depth at which the animals live is so great, it must be rarely indeed that unbroken specimens are brought to the surface. The larger of the two measurable specimens before me is 70 mm. long, 63 mm. wide and 43 mm. high. According to Agassiz's figure, his specimen, 88 mm. 224 Bulletin American Museum of Natural History. [Vol. XXXII > long, was 75 mm. wide and 60 mm. high, and so was some seven per cent higher than mine. But some of the fragments at hand indicate higher tests than that of the whole specimen, so I do not think this difference is important. The color of the test is deep reddish-purple, but this color seems to be superficial and easily rubbed off leaving the bare plates purplish- white. Excepting that no globiferous ones were found, the pedicellarire agree well with the description and figures given by Mortensen (1. c.). I agree with the latter that Cystechinus cannot be distinguished from Urechinus. Station 5684. Southwest from Magdalena Bay, west coast of Lower California, 1760 fms. Eight (?) specimens. Urechinus reticulatus J sp. nov. Plate XLVI, Figs. 10-13. Length of test, 67 mm.; breadth, 62 mm.; height, 46 mm. Color deep reddish purple, but spines, pedicellarise and the surface of each plate, except around margin, dull greenish-yellow. The effect of this coloration is a yellowish animal, handsomely reticulated with deep purple. The plates composing the test are noticeably higher in proportion to their width than in loveni, from the ambitus upward. The plates of the ambulacra differ little from those of the ambulacra in either height or width. Thus the antero-lateral ambulacrum is 21 mm. wide at ambitus and has 20-21 plates in each column, while the antero-lateral interambulacrum is 21.5 mm. wide and has 17-18 plates in each column. An ambulacral plate just above the ambitus is 10 mm. wide and 7 mm. high; an adjoining interambulacral plate is 9.5 mm. wide and 8 mm. high. The abactinal system is somewhat distorted and obviously not normal; the madreporic genital lies, as in U. loveni, directly in the long axis of the animal, but there are only two genital pores, a left anterior, in a plate separate from the madreporic genital, and a right posterior; the oculars are distorted and the left posterior genital seems to be imperforate. The periproct is just below the ambitus, on an oblique surface, and not completely actinal as in loveni. The mouth is more nearly central than in loveni, lying more than two fifths of the long axis back of the anterior margin, while in loveni, it is distinctly less. The pedicellarise are exceedingly characteristic and indicate that this species is quite distinct from loveni. Four kinds of pedicellarise were found, but the globiferous are very uncommon, only two being seen. The ophicephalous pedicellarise are not to be distinguished certainly from those of loveni; they occur chiefly in the region about the periproct. The ordinary tridentate are similar to those of loveni but are at once distinguishable by the low basal portion of the valves with straight lateral margins; in loveni. the base is higher and its lateral margins are angular and often with a tooth at the angle. The most conspicuous pedicellarise on reticulatus are the stout, tridentate, which are common around the mouth and abundant on the peri- proct. The heads are very robust, the valves measuring .40 to .60 mm. long and .25 to .-±0 mm. wide. The blade is nearly circular (i. e. as wide as it is long) but otherwise the valves are much like those of naresianus as figured by Mortensen (1. c. i reticulatus - with lines like the meshes of a net. 1913.] Clark, Echinoderms from Lower California. Plate IX, fig. 15). The globiferous pedicellariae have the basal part of the valves about as long as wide, while the tubular blade is somewhat shorter; the opening of the blade has a lower lip from which extend horizontally four, five or even six, very slender teeth, much longer than the diameter of the blade; the back or upper lip of the opening has an angular margin but carries no teeth. The valves are about .40 mm. long and the teeth below the opening of the blade are about .08 mm. While these pedicellarise are no doubt of the same general structure as those of Urechinus giganteus, they are not at all like them in detail, yet I know of no others which they resemble more closely. Type.— Cat. No. - — , U. S. N. M., from Station 5689. Before examining the pedicellarine, I was inclined to consider this unique specimen, a peculiar individual variant of loveni, but the pedicel- lariae are so characteristic, I have no doubt that reticulatus is a good species. The test is higher, firmer and apparently thicker than in loveni, but these may be simply characters associated with the much shallower water in which the specimen was taken. Possibly the shallower habitat is charac- teristic of the species. Station 5689. Off Rosario Bay, west coast of Lower California, 879 fms. Schizaster townsendi. A. Agassiz, 1898. Bull. M, C. Z., Vol. 32, p. 82. The occurrence of this species off California extends its known range of distribution far to the northward. The specimens range from 18 to 54 mm. in length, the latter being somewhat larger than Agassiz's biggest specimen. Station 5696. Off San Luis Obispo County, California, 440 fms. Bottom Temp., 39.9°. Station 5697. Off Monterey County, California, 485 fms. Bottom Temp., 39.8°. Thirty-two specimens. Schizaster latifrons. A. Agassiz, 1898. Bull. M. C. Z., Vol. 32, p. 81. This species, originally taken in the Gulf of California in 995 fms., seems to have a more restricted range both geographically and bathyme- trically than the preceding. Attention should be called to the fact that the figures published in 1898 as representing this species really represent the preceding species, townsendi (see A. Agassiz, 1904, Panamic Ech., p. 207). The figures in "Panamic Echini" (Plate 102, figs. 1-4) give a good idea of the species, although the specimen was a very small one. In the present 226 Bulletin American Museum of Natural History. [Vol. XXXIi, collection there is one individual 58 mm. long. In large specimens, the unpaired ambulacrum is not so extraordinarily broad, but the short posterior petals will always distinguish this species from townsendi. Station 5683. Off Cape St. Lucas, Lower California, 630 fms. Bottom Temp., 39.1°. Station 5685. Southwest from Ballenas Bay, west coast of Lower California, 645 fms. Station 5694. Southwest of Santa Cruz Island, California, 640 fms. Six specimens. Brissopsis columbaris. A. Agassiz, 1898. Bull. M. C. Z.. Vol. 32, p. 82. The specimens are small, less than 35 mm. long, and one is broken in fragments. Their occurrence off Cape St. Lucas, while not at all unexpected, extends the known range considerably to the north. Station 5682. Off Cape St. Lucas, Lower California, 491 fms. Bottom Temp., 40.8°. Two specimens. Brissopsis pacifica. Toxobrissiis pacificus A. AGASSI/.,. 1898. Bull. M. C. Z., Vol. 32, p. 83. Brissopsis (Toxobrissiis) pacifica MORTENSEN, 1907. "Ingolf" Ech., Pt. 2, p. 44. Although this species was abundant at Station 5675, it was not found elsewhere. The specimens range from 11 to 34 mm. in length, none of them being full grown. Some are remarkably flattened, the abactinal surface being more or less concave rather than convex; one such specimen is 26 mm. long, 24 mm. wide, 8 mm. thick at margin and 6 mm. thick at center of abactinal system. The cause of such a deformity is not easy to imagine. The species was previously known only from Panama. Station 5675. Southwest of San Cristobal Bay, west coast of Lower California, 284 fms. Bottom Temp., 44.6°. One hundred and seventy specimens. Lovenia cordiformis. A. Agassiz, 1872. Bull. M. C. Z., Vol. 3, p. 57. A single small specimen, only 20 mm. long, from Cape St. Lucas, is the sole representative of this species in the collection. 1913.] Clark, Echinoderms from Lower California. 227 HOLOTHURIOIDEA. Leptosynapta inhserens. Holothuria inhaerens 0. F. MULLER, 1776. Zool. Dan. Prod., p. 232. Leptosynapta inhcerens VERRILL, 1867. Trans. Conn. Acad., Vol. 1, p. 325. There are two S3rnaptids in the collection, which agree in all respects with each other, and except for color and texture of the body wall, I cannot distinguish them from L. inhaerens. But the body wall is soft and rather thick and the color is nearly black. The texture of the body wall may be the result of having been at first preserved in formalin, though there is no other indication of that reagent, but for the color I am quite unable to .account. Each specimen is about 40 mm. long; the anchors are .16 mm. and the plates .14 mm. long in the posterior part of the body. Unfortu- nately the locality of these specimens is quite uncertain; one was in a jar with the specimens of Holothuria lubricn, which lacked a locality label; while the other was in a vial with the label "Station 5684." Now since the depth at station 5684 was 1760 fms., it is impossible to believe that this characteristically littoral genus occurs at that place. The appearance of the two specimens is such that I have little doubt both came from the same littoral station where the Holothuria lubrica were taken. Protankyra abyssicola. Synapta abyssicola THEEL, 1886. "Challenger" Holoth.: Pt. II, p. 14. Protankyra abyssicola OSTERGREN, 1898. Ofv. Kong. Vet. Ak. Forhandl., Vol. 55, p. 116. The specimens are all more or less fragmentary and in poor condition. The largest one is about 90 mm. long and was probably 150 mm. in life. The anchors have 2-7 teeth on each arm, so that the specimens cannot be referred to P. pacifica. Further material is necessary to show whether the latter species can be maintained. In the light of the present material, it seems quite improbable. These specimens are strongly tinged with red, due to a red pigment in the skin. In one specimen, this pigment was of a blackish-brown color. Station 5673. Off Pt. San Tomas, west coast of Lower California, 1090 fms. Station 5684. Southwest from Magdalena Bay, west coast of Lower California, 1760 fms. 228 Bulletin American Museum of Natural History. [Vol. XXXII, Station 5698. Off Monterey County, California, 475 fms. Bottom Temp., 39.9°. Specimen decalcified and dubious. Ten specimens. Molpadia intermedia. Trochostoma intermedium LUDWIG, 1894. Mem. M. C. Z., Vol. 17, p. 161. Molpadia intermedia H. L. CLARK, 1907 (1908). Apodous Holoth., p. 33. There is a very good series of this well known molpadid, the young being in the Ankyroderma stage, and having many more, and much more perfectly formed, tables than the adults. The largest specimen is over 100 mm. long, while the smallest is only 33 mm. of which 13 mm. is tail. Station 5676. Off San Juanico, west coast of Lower California, 647 fms. Bottom Temp., 39°. Station 5683. Off Cape St. Lucas, Lower California, 630 fms. Bottom Temp., 39.1°. Station 5688. Off Cedros Island, west coast of Lower California, 525 fms. Bottom Temp., 39.9°. Station 56S9. Off Rosario Bay, west coast of Lower California, 879 fms. Station 5690. Off Rosario Bay, west coast of Lower California, 1101 fms. Bottom Temp., 38.1°. Station 5694. Southwest of Santa Cruz Island, California, 640 fms. Station 5697. Off Monterey County, California, 485 fms. Bottom Temp., 39.8°. Station 5698. Off Monterey County, California, 475 fms. Bottom Temp., 39.9°. Bathymetrical range, 475-1101 fms. Temperature range, 39.9°-38.1°. Twenty-two specimens. Molpadia musculus. Risso, 1826, Hist. Nat. Prin. Prod. Europe, Mer., p. 293. These specimens are small (the largest only 70 mm. long, of which 20 mm. is tail) and two are in very poor condition. These two have minute, scattered phosphatic bodies and. some anchors and rosettes, and undoubt- edly are the form called by Ludwig, Ankyroderma spinosum. In the largest specimen neither phosphatic bodies nor anchors were found. Station 5684. Southwest from Magdalena Bay, west coast of Lower California, 1760 fms. 1913.] Clark, Echinoderms from Lower California. 229 Station 5692. Off Pt. San Tomas, west coast of Lower California, 1076 fms. Bottom Temp., 37.1°. Three specimens. Caudina californica. Ludwig, 1894. Mem. M. C. Z., Vol. 17, p. 155. These specimens are small, 70 mm. long of which about half is tail, but their identity is unmistakable. Station 5698. Off Monterey County, California, 475 fms. Bottom Temp., 39.9°. Station 5699. Southwest from Monterey Bay, California, 659 fms. Bottom temp., 37.9°. Two specimens. Cucumaria abyssorum. Thdel, 1886. "Challenger" Holoth.: Pt. II, p. 66. This species is represented in the collection by a good series, ranging from 30 to 80 mm. in length, but showing no noteworthy peculiarities. Station 5673. Off Pt. San Tomas, west coast of Lower California, 1090 fms. Station 5684. Southwest from Magdalena Bay, west coast of Lower California, 1760 fms. Station 5691. Off Pt. San Tomas, west coast of Lower California, 868 fms. Bottom Temp., 37.2°. Station 5692. Off Pt. San Tomas, west coast of Lower California, 1076 fms. Bottom Temp., 37.1°. Bathymetrical range, 868-1760 fms. Temperature range, 37.2°-37.1°. Twenty -nine specimens. Sphserothuria bitentaculata. Ludwig, 1894. Mem. M. C- Z., Vol. 17, p. 141. This remarkable species, so fully described and discussed by Ludwig, is represented by some specimens about 16 mm. long. The shallowness of the water and the high bottom temperature at the spot where they were taken is notable. 230 Bulletin American Museum of Natural History. [Vol. XXXII, Station 5675. Southwest of San Cristobal Bay, west coast of Lower California, 284 fms. Bottom Temp., 44.6°. Four specimens. Psolus squamatus. Holothuria squamata O. F. MULLER, 1776. Zool. Dan. Prod., p. 232. Psolus squamatus McANDREW & BARRETT, 1857. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. (2) Vol. 20, p. 45. A large Psolus, 88 mm. long, 45 mm. wide and 30 mm. high in its fully contracted condition, seems to belong to this northern species. I have compared it with specimens from Norway and cannot find any satisfactory grounds on which to separate them. Nevertheless I shall not be surprised if abundant material in good condition shows that the California!! Psolus is specifically different from the North European species. Station 5695. Southwest of Santa Rosa Island, California, 534 fms. Bottom Temp., 38.9°. Achlyonice ecalcarea. Theel, 1879. Bih. Kongl. Svenska Vet. Akad. Handl., Vol. 5, no. 19, p. 13. Although the specimens are in poor condition, it is possible to determine their generic position, the number of tentacles being constantly 12 and the arrangement of the pedicels and dorsal papillae being determinable by comparison of the different individuals. Although there are calcareous rods present in the tentacles, I could find no calcareous ring nor any parti- cles in the body-wall. I think therefore that their absence in Theel's specimens was not due to their dissolution in the alcohol. In any case however, Theel's change of the name to paradoxa is of, course inadmissible. The best individual before me is only about 60 mm. long and is thus much smaller than the 'Challenger' specimens. Station 5689. Off Rosario Bay, west coast of Lower California, 879 fms. Five specimens. Laetmenoecus l gen. nov. Body elongated, more or less cylindrical. Lateral ventral ambulacra with rela- tively few (15-20) large pedicels; mid- ventral ambulacrum possibly with a few similar pedicels posteriorly. Dorsal ambulacra apparently without appendages. Tentacles 15. Calcareous particles in the body-wall, wheels and rods as in Lsetmogone. Type-species. — Lcetmenoecus scotoci