392 A. E. Verritt Decapod (' rnxl<i<-<'<i of Bernnnld. 



Tlii' carapace is strongly areolated ami has prominent, l>ut thin, 

 C'ur\'('(l transverse riders or crisis, sharply granulated on their edges. 

 The areolations of the gastric region tonn a i-ons|.icii.nis mask-like 

 figure, when dry. The depressed areas are mostly covered with 

 minute, sharp, l>ut not very close granules, which hear ininnte rough 

 hairs to \vhieh dirt often adheres : the legs arc similarly clothed, 

 except the small glossy areas. The edges of the carapace and mar- 

 ginal teeth are fringed with longer hairs. 



The chelipeds are unusually long. The amlmlatorx legs are nota- 

 bly long and sleiidi r. the tirst pair rather longer t han the others; 

 the three distal segments of the front le-^s are somewhat tlattened 

 and well fringed with long hairs l>e|ow, thus sonie\\ hat approaching 

 the form seen in those of /'-/// mum >''<//. l.ut less llattened and less 

 remiform. The legs of the second and third pairs are only slight ly 



flattened and lightly fringed. The lia^al and merus segments of the 



swimming feet are unarmed; the distal end of the meriis is rounded. 



The marginal teeth are all similar in form and B1Z6, very acute, 

 curved forward and upward. 



The merus of the chelipeds has an anterior row, usually of six, 

 slender, sharp spines, une<|ually spaced, the tirst very small, inciva-- 

 ing in si/e distally. the last at the distal angle; posterior distal s|,jnc 

 reduced to a tubercle or obsolete; carpal spines two, the inner longer, 

 of moderate length, handed with red. The maims has a prominent 

 dorsal carina, curved over to the inside, leaving a fringed groo\e 

 beside it; it hears, at the extreme distal end, a single, acute, nearly 

 straight tooth, directed forward. The dactylu- i- strongly -jrooved: 

 the dorsal side is fringed with lonu: hairs: the thumb has two fringes. 

 The hand has five ribs on the outer, under, and upper sides ; the 

 middle outer one is much the stronger, so that the form of the 

 hand is rather triquetral in an end view. There are small smooth 

 areas between the ribs and on the carpus and fingers, which are 

 glossy or lustrous when dry. 



In life the carapace is irregularly mottled with light and dark- 

 gray, closely imitating the colors of the sand ; the chelipeds and 

 posterior legs are similar, though paler; but the first pair of ambula- 

 tory legs, which are longer than the others, are bright purple or 

 deep blue in the larger specimens, while some portion of the same 

 color is usually seen on the next two pairs, but the color of the first 

 pair is in striking contrast with that of the rest of the crab. This 

 has, no doubt, some useful purpose, but as it appears in specimens 

 apparently too young to mate, it is probably not a sexual attraction. 



