Figtjbe 235. — Mithrax {Mithrax) verrucosus H. Milne 

 Edwards. Male in dorsal view, legs of left side not 

 shown, 20 mm. indicated. 



horns short, separated by a deep notch. Preorbital 

 spine directed somewhat outward, four other 

 spines on orbital margin aside from three occur- 

 ring on broad basal antennal article. Anterolat- 

 eral margin with eight spines, first six in pairs, 

 anterior spines of each pair smaller, spines in first 

 two pairs more or less united at base; a single 

 posterolateral spine, and below lateral margin a 

 row of about nine spines. 



Chelipeds stout ; outer margin of merus with six 

 sharp spines, approximately six spines on upper 

 surface; inner margin of whole cheliped armed 

 with blunt spines or lobes, one on ischium, four on 

 merus, two or three on carpus ; carpus with dorsal 

 surface smooth or slightly tuberculate proximally ; 

 palm unarmed, elongate, somewhat swollen, fin- 

 gers gaping with a large tooth near middle of 

 dactyl, edges of spoon-shaped tips slightly crenu- 

 late, two bunches of hair inside spoon. Walking 

 legs covered with coarse hair, meri and carpi 

 spiny. 



Measurements. — Carapace: male, length, 51 

 mm. ; width, 65 mm. 



Variations. — Females, young, and most imma- 

 ture males differ from mature males in that the 

 carapace is covered densely with hair. Rostral 

 horns of females and immature males are shorter 

 and farther apart, but horns of the young are 

 sharper. Spines on the inner margin of the cheli- 



peds are sharper, the carpus is more or less spiny 

 dorsally, and the palm is spinulous and hairy 

 above proximally. The degree of spination on the 

 chelipeds also varies individually. 



Color. — Dark red; color largely concealed by 

 hairiness, carapace dark dull red, pincers olive 

 above and lighter olive below, tips claret, teeth 

 white, underparts maroon flecked with white and 

 yellow (various authors and Rathbun, 1925). 



Habitat. — This species lives near shore among 

 rocks, where it hides in holes. It is nocturnal, and 

 has been caught with the aid of a light while feed- 

 ing. Shallow water near shore. 



Type locality. — Robert Bay, Martinique. 



Known range. — Charleston, S.C., through West 

 Indies to Fernando Noronha Island (225 miles 

 northeast Cape Sao Roque), Brazil. 



Remarks.— Pearse (1932a) determined freezing 

 point of blood in this species at Tortugas (range 

 -1.99° to -2.24° C). 



Mithrax (Mithrax) hispidus (Herbst). Coral crab 



Figures 236, 245C 



Cancer hispidus Herbst, 1790, p. 245 (247 by error), pi. 18, 

 fig. 100. 



Mithrax hispidus: Rathbun, 1925, p. 406, text-fig. 124, pis. 

 145-146 ; pi. 147, fig. 3 (rev.). 



Recognition characters. — Carapace swollen, 

 considerably wider than long, smooth except for 

 some low, rounded prominences chiefly toward 

 outer margin of branchial region, gastric tubercles 



Figure 236.— Mithrax (Mithrax) huipirfus (Herbst). 

 Male in dorsal vi<>\v. legs <>f left side not shown, 20 mm. 

 indicated. 



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