REPORT ON THE CRUSTACEA MACRURA. 213 



in Spongieola, demonstrates the close relation of Stenopus to the Astacidas. The ova> 

 however, are not sufficiently well preserved, nor in a condition that will enable me to 

 satisfactorily determine the point. 



Spongieola, de Haan. 



Spongieola, de Haan, Crust, in v. Siebold, Eauna Japonica, p. 189, 1850. 



De Haan, in his description of the characters of this genus, states as an important 

 feature that the second pair of gnathopoda has no basecphysis — " Max 5 arnm art. tres 

 apicales, inflexi, breviores quam tres anteriores ; art. ultimus penultimo brevior ; palpi 

 nulli ; " and supports his definition by a figure in table (P) of the same work. 



I am, however, able to state, after having examined a number of specimens, that 

 there is a distinct but very short ecphysis (or palpus) attached to the second joint or 

 basis, and that it consists of a short basal and a short terminal multiarticulate joint, 

 the latter rapidly tapering to a point and terminating in two or three long ciliated 

 hairs. 



I only know of one species of the genus, and this appears to be abundant in its 

 habitat. 



Geographical Distribution. — This genus is found in the Chinese and Japanese seas 

 and along the Eastern Pacific as far south as the Philippine Islands. It is stated, on the 

 authority of de Haan, Moor, and Morgan, as well as of the naturalists of the Challenger, 

 that it inhabits Euplectella and other allied genera of sponges. 



Spongieola venusta, de Haan (PI. XXIX). 



Spongieola venusta, de Haan, loc. eit., p. 191, pi. xlvi. fig. 9, 1850. 



,, ,, J. Miers, Journ. Linn. Soc. Lond., vol. xiii. p. 507, pi. xxiv. figs. 1, 2. 



This species has been described by de Haan in Von Siebold's great work on the 

 Fauna of Japan. The figure that he has given is generally too smooth. The 

 small denticles situated on the frontal and hepatic regions of the carapace, which 

 vary slightly in number in different specimens, are not represented. The rostrum is 

 serrate with from eight to eleven small teeth on the upper surface, and two exist on the 

 inferior margin near the apex. 



The eyes are well developed, and placed on a moderately long peduncle. 



The first pair of antennas has the first joint of the peduncle longer than the 

 two succeeding, and is armed on the outer surface at the base with a short, stout, 

 flat, anteriorly directed stylocerite ; the two other joints are short, the ultimate, which 

 is the shorter, supports two flagella, of which the outer, especially in the male, is the 

 more robust. 



The second pair of antennas has the flagellum reaching as far back as the posterior 



