A. E. Verrill Decapod Crustacea of Bermuda. 367 



The colors of the adults, especially of the males, are often hand- 

 some, but are variable. Frequently the carapace is dull olive or 

 olive-brown, usually with a large, ill-defined, roundish spot of orange 

 or orange-red on each side posteriorly ; the lateral spines and denti- 

 cles light blue or whitish; eye-stalks purple. Chelipeds proximally 

 similar to carapace, with the spines pale blue and joints red, with 

 blue spots ; inner surface of palm of chela with a large bright blue 

 patch, bordered with purple ; digits mostly purple, tipped with red. 

 Ambulatory legs bright blue above, with a band of scarlet at each 

 joint and a patch of paler blue or green on the posterior and lower 

 side of each segment ; tarsi red. Swimming legs similar in color, 

 but with the red articular bands wider; a patch of yellow or orange 

 on each segment; terminal segment bright scarlet on the distal half, 

 separated from the blue proximal portion by a band of orange. 

 Abdomen posteriorly light blue. 



23 24 



Figure 23. Abdomens of female Callinectes ; a, of C. sapidus ; b, of C. ornatus. 

 Figure 24. Abdomen of a male Callinectes sapidus, nat. size. 



Many specimens are much less brilliantly colored. Some are 

 mottled with lighter and darker olive on the carapace. The young- 

 are usually rather dull or plain olive-yellow; some are light olive or 

 greenish above. Albino specimens often occur in which the entire 

 carapace and legs are pale gray or nearly white, or in which white 

 is the prevailing color. 



One large dark male had the carapace, above, dull dark brown, 

 the long postero-lateral spines, as well as the others, with white tips. 

 Chelae purplish brown, above; inner lateral and lower surfaces white, 

 except inner surfaces of finger and thumb, which were deep purple. 

 Ambulatory legs dark blue and brown both above and below, with 

 whitish bands at the joints beneath. Swimming legs dark bluish 

 brown, with a central yellowish white patch on outside of each seg- 

 ment, except the last, which is bright brownish red. 



