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Richters, Decapoda in Möbius' Beitr. zur Aleeresfauna der Insel
Alauritius und der Seychellen, p. 148 (1880).
In the collection is a male from Thursday Island, Torres Straits,
4 -6 fms. (No. 130) ; a female from Port Denison, 4 fms. (No. I l l ) ;
another from Percy Islands, Queensland, obtained at a depth not
exceeding 5 fms. (No. 91) ; and three small specimens from Port
Molle, 14 fms. (No. 93).
There are specimens in the British-Museum collection, th at appear
to he referable to this species, from Australia (J. S . Boiuerhanh, Esq.)
and Sir C. Hardy’s Island, dredged in 11 fms., on a bottom of coarse
sand (J. B. Jukes) ; also from the Philippine Islands, Corregidor
(Cuming), Piji Islands, Totoya (U.3I.S. ‘Herald’), aud New Hebrides
(J. Alacgillivray). A specimen from Shark Bay, AV. Australia (F. AI.
Bayner, H.Al.S. ‘Herald ’) has a more coarsely pubescent carapace,
and may be distinct.
Dana founded A . tomentosus upon a female from Tahiti or Upolu,
in which the regions of the carapace were apparently somcAvhat less
distinctly defined than in the specimens I have seen, and the granulations
of the chelipedes more irregularly disposed.
A careful comparison of the descriptions above cited with the
series in the Museum collection shows th at certain of the characters
which have been hitherto regarded as of specific value are by no
means as constant as has been hitherto supposed.
In most of the Australian specimens I have seen the anterolateral
margins are 4-lobed, without any traces of spiniform teeth.
Indications of these, however, exist in one specimen from Sir C.
Hardy’s Island, one out of two from the Philippines, and one from
the New Hebrides in the Museum collection. In most of the specimens
the carapace is clothed with a close velvety pubescence, and
the upper margin of the chelipedes finely and closely granulated ;
but in the specimen from New Hebrides and one from the Philippines
the pubescence is much more scanty and the granulations of
the hands more acute, especially toward the upper margins.
The finger-tips of the species of this genus are generally scarcely
to be described as excavated, but rather as obtuse, and the transition
is effected to Pilumnus by almost insensible gradations through
such species as P. dehaani, Miers*, which, indeed, may he merely
the young of A . setifer, hut differs not only in the acute anterolateral
marginal teeth and finger-tips, but also in the relatively
shorter antero-lateral margins and entire obliteration of the regions
of the carapace. A specimen nearly resembling P. dehaani is in
Dr. Coppinger’s collection, from Port Denison (No. I l l ) ; in it, however,
the tubercles of the chelipedes are less conical and acute. In
the small specimens I refer to A . setifer, from Port Alolle, the regions
of the carapace are fully as well defined as in the adult.
Dr. P. Richters (t. c. p. 148) records this species from the Mauritius
: hence its rauge evidently extends throughout the Oriental
region.
* Proc. Zool. Soc. p. 32 (1879).
; . !
CRYPTOCCELOMA, gen. nov.
Carapace transverse, nearly flat above, with the antero-lateral
margins much shorter than the postero-lateral, and forming with
the apparent frontal margin (as viewed from above) an unbroken
curve. Epistoma narrow-transverse. Palate or endostome with
the longitudinal ridges nearly obsolete. Orbits transverse, with the
margins subentire, not Ausible from above, but concealed beneath the
projecting anterior margin of the carapace (see Plate X X III. fig. A).
Abdomen of female 7-jointed. The basal antennal joint reaches to
the subfrontal process, and partly occupies the inner orbital hiatus.
Outer maxillipedes Avith the merus-joint quadrate. Chelipedes subequal
and of moderate size. Ambulatory legs compressed.
63. Cryptocceloma fimhriatnm. (P late X X III. fig. A.)
Pilumnus fimbriatus, M.-Edwards, Hist. Nat. Crust, i. p. 416 (1834) ? ;
Hasivell, Cat. Austr. Crust, p. 66, pi. i. fig. 4.(1882).
The carapace is transverse, its upper surface nearly fl at ; the anterolateral
margins are much shorter than the postero-lateral, and armed
only with one or two inconspicuous granules or spinules ; the postero
lateral margins are nearly straight, and slightly convergent
posteriorly ; the upper surface is obscurely granulated toward the
lateral margins, and the cervical suture is faintly but distinctly
defined. The apparent frontal margin is thin, entire, and forms a
continuous and unbroken line with tho antero-lateral margins, the
orbits being altogether inferior. The margin thus formed is bordered
with a thick fringe of very close-set cinereous hairs, beneath which
are much longer hairs of a yellowish hue ; the real front, however,
is narrow-transverse, nearly vertically deflexed, wnth its anterior
margin arcuated and having a small median notch. The ej’es lie
closely within the transverse inferior orbits, whose margins are
nearly entire. The epistoma is narrow-transverse ; very faint indications
exist of longitudinal palatal ridges. All the segments of
the postahdomen (which is rather narrow in the female) are distinct ;
the first segment only reaches to the bases of the fifth ambulatory
legs. The antennules are transverse ; the basal antennal joint just
attains to the subfrontal lobe, and partly occupies the inner orbital
hiatus. The ischium-joint of the rather broad outer maxiUipedes is
but little longer than the merus-joint, which is nearly quadrate, but
shaUow-excavate at its antero-internal angle at the place of articulation
with the next joint ; theexognath is narrow, straight, and ju st
reaches to the distal end of the merus. The chelipedes are subequal,
the merus trigonous and very short ; the carpus granulated above,
with a small tooth on its inner margin near the distal end, the outer
margin fringed with very long fulvous hairs ; similar hairs border
the upper surface of the palm and mobile finger ; the palm is granulated
externally, and somewhat compressed ; fingers rather ohscurely
granulated on their inner margins and acute at the apices, with
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