General Catalogue of South African Crustacea. 469 



This feature unfortunately is not very obvious in the species 

 to be described. Both the segments, however, are short, and, 

 though distinct in outline, were apparently not movable one 

 upon the other. 



METAPROTELLA MAKRODACTYLOS, n. sp. 

 Plate XLVIII.A. 



This species cannot, I think, be confused with M. africana, Mayer, 

 from Djibouti, nor yet with Mayer's other species M. sandalensis, 

 from the Loyalty Islands, though, as might be expected if they 

 belong to the same genus, there are many points of resemblance. 

 The greater distinctness of the sixth and seventh segments of the 

 peraeon will probably suffice to separate this species from earlier 

 members of the genus. The head has a forward-pointing process or 

 tooth, but no other dorsal projections. In the first antennae the 

 second joint is much longer than the first or third, about as long as 

 the nine-jointed flagellum. In the second antennae the gland-cone 

 of the second joint is conspicuous, the fifth joint is much longer than 

 the fourth, both having a sparse armature of setae. The mandibles 

 have the two cutting plates pretty well developed, with a few spines 

 between them and the molar. The third joint of the palp has the 

 scyrnetar-shape represented by Mayer for the corresponding part in 

 M. sandalensis, with several very short setae between two long ones 

 at the distal end. The maxillipeds also nearly resemble those 

 figured by Mayer for the same species, but the membranaceous plate 

 of the third joint, though in like manner distally notched for a single 

 spine, has the inner margin also notched a little way from the end, 

 the remainder being microscopically divided into three denticles. 

 First gnathopods very small, palm microscopically pectinate, and 

 reaching to a defining spine at the very base of the joint, and 

 matched by the finger, the inner margin of which is fringed with 

 spine-teeth. Second gnathopods large, the slender second joint 

 having a small process projecting from base of front margin, and 

 the distal part a little swollen, the fifth joint very inconspicuous, the 

 sixth very long, with small process at base of the setulose hind 

 margin which ends in a very pronounced acute tooth, not far from 

 the base of the finger ; the finger long, so that its curved sharp apex 

 reaches the process at the base of the sixth joint. First and second 

 perseopods minute, ending in two or three setules. Third and fourth 

 peraeopods normal, the sixth joint with projection near the base, 

 carrying a couple of spines, which are apparently simple, not serrate 

 at the ends, but similar to the spines which follow along the inner 



