I 02 



The chelipeds are not very unequal in my specimen, the right being only sHghtly the 

 larger, and 2^l„ times the length of the carapace. In Doflein's specimen the fingers are much 

 gaping at the base and present some few teeth only near the distal end, in the "Siboga" 

 specimen, however, the fingers do not gape, the fixed one is deflexed and the cutting margin 

 is provided all along with numerous triangular teeth, two of which are much the larger; 

 the movable hnger is less distinctly toothed and bears in the right chela, near the base, a 

 large, obtiise tooth, directed backward. The margins of the palm are smoothly rounded off 

 and the inner surface presents a deep, longitudinal impression near the under margin, especially 

 conspicuous in the left chela. 



The first pair of walking legs bears only a single, subdistal spine at the meropodites ; 

 the meropodites of the three following pairs present a series of five spines, and the anterior 

 margin of the carpopodites is also spinous, though there is only a single spine in the case of 

 the first and fourth pair. The dactyli are very elongate, thin and styliform,- slightly curved and 

 with some longitudinal rows of very minute hairs towards the horny tips. These minute hairs 

 are indeed the only ones to be observed, as the whole animal is entirely naked. 



The abdomen of the cf entirely resembles that of Carcitioplax longiniana (de Haan) ; 

 it is very short and broad, reaching forward only to the level of the anterior pair of walking 

 legs; the first segment is partly concealed beneath the carapace, the second is strongly keeled 

 transversely, and both segments do not quite cover the space bet ween the 

 bases of the last pair of legs, the third segment is broader and touches the coxopodites 

 of the last pair of legs, the fourth to sixth segment gradually decrease in breadth, but increase 

 in length, the last segment is very short, much shorter than broad. The first abdominal appen- 

 dages are very strongly calcified and terminate in a short, acum.inate tip. 

 Dimensions in mm. : 



, Distance between external orbital angles . . 23.5 



Distance between tips of epibranchial teeth . 27. — 



Anterior margin of front 7.75 



Length of carapace 21. — 



Length of right cheHped about 61. — 



Length of right chela 28. — 



Length of penultimate pair of legs. . about 56. — 



DoFLEiN gives the length of the cephalothorax as 62 mm., the breadth as 29 mm. ; the 

 first number must be certainly a misprint, and probably altered into 22; his figure seems to 

 be twice enlarged. 



This rare species has been firstly known from the Andaman Sea, where it was repea- 

 tedly dredged at depths between 173-419 fathoms. The "Valdivia" expedition caught it, at a 

 depth of about 165 fathoms, S. W. of Great Nicobar Island (6° 54' N., 93° 38'. 8 E.). 



The "Siboga" record is thus remarkable, as the first instance of the occurrence of the 

 species outside the Andaman Sea, and, if the indication "400-500 fathoms" on the label be 

 truly reliable, the vertical distribution of the species is also somewhat extended. 



The large eye with its dark brown, almost black retina is worth noting in this deep 

 sea species. 



14 



