Figure 62. — Thor floridanus Kingsley. A, carapace and 

 anterior appendages in lateral view, 1 mm. indicated ; 

 B, antennule ; C. antennal scale; D, uropods and telson ; 

 B-D, 1 mm. indicated. 



to level of tip of spine on second article; a tiny, 

 erect spinule at base of stylocerite; second and 

 third articles short; second with slender, acute 

 spine on lateral surface; third with a thin, flat, 

 blunt projection on upper side; inner flagellum 

 slender, slightly longer than peduncle; outer 

 flagellum stout basally, tapering abruptly to thin 

 terminal portion, densely hairy on outer margin, 

 about as long as peduncle. Antennal scale with 

 outer margin nearly straight, terminating in a 

 stout spine, lamella exceeding spine, an outer 

 spine near base of scale. Third maxilliped reach- 

 ing a little beyond tip of antennal scale; last 

 article terminating in slender spines. 



First legs with merus and carpus subequal; 

 carpus with minute spinules on inner margin; 

 chelae subcylindrical, dactyl two-fifths total 

 length of hand. Second legs with carpus sub- 

 divided into six joints of varying lengths; chela 

 as long as fifth and sixth carpal joints. Dactyls 

 and propodi of third to fifth legs spinulose be- 

 neath ; dactyls bifurcate but with accessory spines 

 proximally. 



Abdomen smooth; pleura of fourth, fifth, and 

 sixth segments with posterolateral angles acute. 

 Telson elongate, triangular, with five prominent 

 pairs of dorsal spines a little remote from edges 

 and spaced equidistantly in posterior three- 

 fourths of length; tip somewhat rounded and 

 armed with three pairs of subequal spines, outer 

 pair shortest. Uropodal exopods with outer edge 

 ending in a small spine flanked medially by a 

 strong movable spine. 



Measurements. — Length of body : ovigerous fe- 

 males, 11 to 13 mm. (Wass, 1955). 



Habitat. — Among sponges, ascidians, algae, and 

 soft corals ; shallow water to 32 fathoms. 



Type locality. — Key West, Fla. 



Known range. — Beaufort, N.C., to Alabama; 

 through West Indies to Curasao and Yucatan; 

 Bermuda. 



Remarks. — This species has often been referred 

 to Thor paschalis (Heller), an Indo-west Pacific 

 form. Holthuis (1947) considered the West In- 

 dian species distinctive, and, in fact, it is the type 

 species of the genus. As far as known, T. -flori- 

 danus is not common in the Carolinas. 



Ovigerous females have been reported (Broad, 

 1957c; Lunz, 1939; Verrill, 1922; Wass, 1955) or 

 are known from collections from April to August 

 in southeastern United States, Bermuda, and the 

 West Indies. In addition, they are known from 

 Cuba in November and January. 



Broad (1957c) worked out the larval stages of 

 this form, using various species of algae as food 

 for the developing larvae. Though survival varied 

 with species of algae fed, he considered at least 

 certain species of algae to be an adequate diet for 

 survival, molting, and metamorphosis. Broad de- 

 scribed eight zoeal stages and a postlarval stage. 

 Comparison of these stages with earlier descrip- 

 tions by Lebour (1910) led Broad to question the 

 conspecificity of Thor from Bermuda and the 

 Carolinas. 



MARINE DECAPOD CRUSTACEANS OF THE CAROLINAS 



77 



