Measurements. — Carapace: male, length, 21 

 mm. ; width, 25 mm. 



Color. — Bed, approaching vermilion, with oc- 

 casional trace of purple. Terra cotta, or uniform 

 yellowish brown, varying to greenish brown; 

 often with a wide, pale yellow, median dorsal 

 stripe, and legs often banded, especially in young 

 individuals (various authors). 



Habitat. — The species lives on rocky shores and 

 reefs in crevices, under stones and dead coral ; also 

 exposed between tides and in shallow water in cer- 

 tain areas (Verrill, 1908). In North Carolina this 

 form is found on offshore reefs and has been found 

 in the sponge Stematumenia strobilinia (La- 

 marck) at Dry Tortugas, Fla. (Pearse, 1934). In- 

 tertidal to 30 fathoms. 



Type locality. — Guiana. 



Known range. — From Cape Hatteras, N.C., 

 through Gulf of Mexico to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil ; 

 Bermuda. 



Remarks. — Ovigerous females have been taken 

 in Florida from November to February and from 

 June to August ; they are known from the Gulf of 

 Mexico in February, Curasao in April, Barbados 

 and Aruba in midsummer, and from Venezuela in 

 September and November (Bathbun, 1925; U.S. 

 National Museum records). Some of the larval 

 stages have been described by Lebour (1944). 



Genus Microphrys H. Milne Edwards, 1851 



Garth, 1958, p. 385. 



KEY TO SPECIES IN THE CAROLINAS 



a. Carapace without lateral laminiform processes; one 



strong branchial spine bicornutus (p. 259). 



aa. Carapace with two lateral laminiform processes ; two 

 strong branchial spines antillcnsis (p. 260). 



Microphrys bicornutus (Latreille) 



Figures 239, 245P 



Pisa bicornuta Latreille, 1825, p. 141. 



Microphys bicornutus: Hay and Shore, 1918, p. 459, pi. 38, 

 fig. 10.— Rathbun, 1925, p. 489, text -fig. 139, pi. 175 (rev.). 



Recognition characters. — Carapace subtriangu- 

 lar, moderately hairy, all raised parts covered 

 with rounded tubercles; a line of four tubercles 

 arching upward on intestinal region, branchial 

 region with two or three short spines and another 

 spine at lateral angle. Bostrum composed of two 

 stout horns, divergent throughout or divergent at 

 base with extremities curving inward, one-half to 

 one-third length of remainder of carapace. Basal 



Figure 239. — Microphrys bicornutus (Latreille). Male 

 in dorsal view, legs of left side not shown, 10 mm. 

 indicated. 



article of antenna with a conspicuous, flat, obtuse 

 spine at anterior angle and behind this a marginal 

 tubercle or a short stout spine in old individuals. 

 Orbits small, circular, with closed fissures, eyes 

 small, preorbital angle rectangular. 



Chelipeds spotted, spots persisting for many 

 years in alcohol ; merus with three or four tuber- 

 cles or short, blunt spines above; carpus somewhat 

 nodose; hand smooth; fingers gaping, hollowed 

 out at tips. Walking legs diminishing noticeably 

 in length from first to fourth pair, hairy, margins 

 somewhat rough. 



Abdomen of both sexes with seven separate 

 segments. 



Measurements. — Carapace: male, length, 36 

 mm., width, 26 mm.; female, length, 24 mm., 

 width, 20 mm. 



Color. — Variable; carapace often dull yellowish 

 brown or bright purplish rose; chelipeds grayish 

 white, covered with small, round, purplish spots. 



Habitat. — The species is common on coral reefs. 

 It is often disguised by foreign objects such as 

 sponges, anemone?, hydroids, algae, etc., which 



MARINE DECAPOD CRUSTACEANS OF THE CAROLINAS 



259 



