REPORT ON THE CRUSTACEA MACRUKA. 527 



The resemblance of the several species to each other appears to be great ; the only 

 appreciable distinction in the several descriptions, as given by their authors, exists in the 

 variation of length and form of the rostrum. 



Nika processa, n. sp. (PL XCV.). 



Carapace one-third the length of the animal, anteriorly produced to a narrow pointed 

 rostrum, subequal in length with the ophthalmopoda. Pleon smooth, having all the 

 somites dorsally parallel. 



The ophthalmopoda are pyriform and stand upon a small pedicle. The ophthalmus 

 is large and reniform. 



The first pair of antenna has the first joint deeply excavate on the upper surface, the 

 second is cylindrical and as long as the first, and the third short and terminally supporting 

 two unequal fkgella, the shorter being subequal in length with the peduncle, the longer 

 subequal with the animal. 



The second pair carries a scaphocerite that is subequal in length with the peduncle of 

 the first pair, and terminates in a long flagellum, now broken off at the length of the 

 carapace, but in its perfect state it was probably longer than the animal. 



The second pair of gnathopoda has the terminal two joints together shorter than the 

 a ntepenultimate. 



The first pair of pereiopoda has the left limb, which is of generic value, broken 

 off; that on the right is shorter than the second pair of gnathopoda, it is tolerably 

 robust and terminates in a small chela. The second pair is long and slender, it has 

 the carpos multiarticulate, and terminates in a minute chela ; the right appendage 

 being longer and more flexible than the left. The last three pairs are long and slender, 

 the carpos being equal in length to the ischium and meros combined, and more than 

 twice the length of the propodos ; the dactylos is long and styliform. 



Length, 26 mm. (1 in.). 



Habitat. — Amboina ; depth, 15 fathoms. One specimen ; female. 



Observations. — This was the only specimen of this species taken during the Challenger 

 Expedition, and it is laden with numerous small ova. It bears a close general resem- 

 blance to the European type (Nika edulis) ; it appears to differ from it chiefly in 

 size, the latter being three inches long, in the form of the ophthalmopoda, which are 

 more pear-shaped, and in the length of the pereiopoda, which are more slender. 



On the label within the bottle the specimen is recorded as having been taken on the 

 6th October 1874, at a depth of 15 fathoms, at Amboina, the most southern island of the 

 Molucca Group, near Station 195, while in the list of Stations the sounding is given as 

 1425 fathoms, so that, the Station being about 30 miles from shore, we may assume, our 

 specimen to have been a straggler taken near the surface. 



