566 



Gen. 8. MicrOprotopUS, Norman, 1866. 

 Syn: Orthopalme, Hoek. 



Body rather stout, with comparatively large coxal plates, the 5th of 

 which have the anterior lobe very deep. Cephalon with the frontal part 

 slightly produced, postantennal corners well marked. Eyes distinct, though 

 small. Antenna? subequal and not much elongated, the superior ones with a 

 small accessory appendage. Mandibular palps not very large, with the 

 terminal joint comparatively short and setous at the tip. Oral parts other- 

 wise normal. Gnathopoda rather unequal, the posterior ones being the larger, 

 and in the male having the propodos of enormous size. Pereiopoda not very much 

 elongated, the 3 posterior pairs generally strongly reflexed, and having the 

 basal joint large and laminar, dactylus of antepenultimate pair inverted. 

 Last pair of nropoda with only a single ramus, spinous at the tip. Telson 

 small, subquadrangular in form. 



Remarks. This genus, established by Norman, is prominently 



distinguished by the enormous development of the propodos of the posterior 

 gnathopoda in the male, as also by the last pair of uropoda being uni-ramous. 

 Hoek's genus Orthopalme is unquestionably identical with that of Norman. 

 The genus was associated by Boeck with the genera Photis and Xenodea in 

 his subfamily Photince, which is placed between the Leptoclieirince and Micro- 

 deidopince. Hoek, as also M. Bonnier, is, on the other hand, inclined to 

 place it among the Podoceridce, on account of the structure of the uropoda 

 and telson. It cannot indeed be denied, that the species both of this and the 

 2 succeeding genera exhibit some affinity to the Podoccridtf, and are most 

 probably, like the latter, true domicolous forms; but in other respects they 

 show a closer affinity to the preceding genera, and may therefore witli 

 equal reason be combined with the latter in one family. On the whole 

 there is to be observed a very gradual transition from the Photidce to the 

 Podoccridfe, tending to efface the limit between these 2 families. Besides 

 the northern form described below, another species has recently been described 

 from the French coast as M. longiman-us. 



