384 CEYLON PEARL OYSTER REPORT. 



extent intermediate between that figure and A. Milne-Edwards' figure of Stenocionops 

 curvirostris. Among the present specimens there is nothing further to minimise the 

 somewhat slender specific distinction between S. cervicornis and S. curvirostris. 



In the young examples the tuberculatum is less distinct than in the adult, and also 

 the posterior projection of the carapace is less prominent. Henderson (p. 343) found 

 in his specimens that the posterior projection was narrower and more upturned in the 

 male than in the female ; this does not hold as a distinction between the ovigerous 

 female and the adult male of the present collection. 



It would be of interest to re-examine A. Milne-Edwards' " type "-specimens of 

 Stilbognathus for the purpose of verifying the generic distinction between that genus 

 and Stenocionops. 



Pseudomicippa nodosa, Heller, 1861 'S.B. Ak. Wien,' xliii., p. 303, pi. i., fig. 3. 



Locality : -Muttuvaratu Paar, Gulf of Manaar, one specimen. 



Description: An ovigerous female. C.l. (without front) = 9*50. It is labelled 

 "crab with black sponge." The sponge completely covers the dorsum of the carapace. 



Remarks. For remarks on the limits and affinities of the genus, see Calman (p. 40). 

 He favours the generic separation of P. nodosa and P. variaris on the grounds that 

 (1) the rostrum is very strongly deflexed in P. nodosa not so in P. varians ; (2) the 

 anterior angle of the orbit is produced into a long spine in P. nodosa not so in 

 P. varians ; (3) the distal tooth of the basal antennal joint is directed obliquely 

 forwards in P. nodosa outwards in P. varians. With the additional evidence of the 

 present specimen and of some specimens in the British Museum, I find it inadvisable 

 to separate the species generically. Thus the present example combines the strongly 

 deflexed rostrum of P. nodosa with an anterior orbital angle which is only drawn out 

 a little more than in P. varians. In the British Museum I find specimens which show 

 some variation in the degree to which the rostrum is deflexed. The third distinction 

 does not appear to me to be one of generic value. In the present specimen the 

 antennal angle is nodosa-\ike in pointing obliquely forwards, though it differs from 

 Heller's figure the latter agreeing with dried Red Sea specimens in the British 

 Museum. This genus is new to the Indian fauna. 



Micippa philyra (Herbst), 1803 A. 1, p. 249. 



Localities : Coral reefs, Gulf of Manaar, four specimens (a, b, d, e) ; off Mutwal 

 Island, one specimen (c). 



Description : 



C.l. C.b.^-C.l. Antenn.l.H-C.l. 2ndsgt.nnt.l.H-R.b. Arm.l. -=- C.l. H.l.-C.l. H.h.-H.l. 



(a) ovig. ? . 23-00 0-87 0"43 0"25 0"33 0'24 0-36 



(h) adult c?. 20-00 0"87 0"50 0"34 0"39 0'35 0'61 



(c) adult S. 22-50 0"87 0"51 0"28 0'37 0"29 046 



Alcock records a male dimorphism in this species, believing it to be comparable 



