Excerpt from Asteroidea of the North Pacific and Adjacent Waters, Vol. 3: Forcipulata Description. - This species is very variable. While large specimens all have the same general appearance and are easily recognized, a detailed analysis of the strue ture will reveal considerable diversity in the size of the skeletal parts, especially of the dorsum, and in the number, robustness, and form of the spines. The breadth of the ray increases with age in such a way as to alter very materially the appearance of the animals. Quite immature specimens are therefore unlike the adults in general appearance. The following description is based upon a large specimen from station 3242, 11 fathoms, Bristol Bay. (pl. 2, fig. 3; pl. 3, fig. Some of the variations exhibited by adults from southern Bering Sea are also noted. Under variations are listed the principal varieties which are present in a large series of specimens examined. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.