565 



spines, dactylus very large and compressed. Posterior gnathopoda in male 

 considerably stronger than the anterior, with the basal joint abruptly curved 

 at the base, propodos rather large, exceeding the carpus in length, and having 

 below about 6 fascicles of bristles, in front of which occurs a small rounded 

 projection, dactylus of a shape similar to that in the anterior pair. The 2 

 anterior pairs of pereiopoda rather strongly built; the 3 posterior pairs much 

 more slender and successively increasing in length, basal joint oblong oval 

 in form. Last pair of uropoda with the outer ramus shorter than the inner, 

 both exceeding the basal part in length, and being armed with a number of 

 small spinules. Telson subquadrangular in shape, somewhat broader than it 

 is long, and exhibiting on either side of the slightly produced tip, a distinct 

 angle armed with a slender spine. 'Body whitish, more or less densely mottled 

 with red and brown pigmentary specks, often giving the body, especially 

 of female, a very dark hue. Length of adult female but little exceeding 

 5 mm, of male about the same. 



Remarks. There cannot be any doubt that the Protomedeia longiniana 

 of Boeck is the form here described, and that first recorded by Norman under the 

 above name. It may be observed, that both the generic and specific denomina- 

 tions refer only to the male sex, the former name indicating the strong 

 development of both pairs of gnathopoda, the latter the anteriorly produced 

 1st pair of coxal plates; none of these characteristics being present in the 

 female. The latter is however easily recognizable by the peculiar form 

 of the cephalon, and the extremely thin and feeble antenna3. In the outer 

 habitus, this form somewhat recalls the species of EricJitJionius belonging 

 to the next family. 



Occurrence. Off the south and west coasts of Norway this form 

 is far from being rare, occurring in some places rather abundantly in 

 depths varying from G to 30 fathoms. It also occurs in the Trondhjems- 

 fjord, and extends, according to Boeck, northwards to the Lofoten Isles 

 (Skraaven). 



Distribution. Shetland Isles (Norman), British Isles (Robertson), 



Kattegat (Meinert). 



75 Crustacea. 



