Type locality. — Beach near Fort Macon, [Car- 

 teret County], N.C. 



Known range. — Drum Inlet to Beaufort Inlet, 

 N.C.; Ship Island and Petit Bois Island, Miss. 



Remarks. — Knowledge of the ecology of this 

 species is confined to the brief account given by 

 Pearse, Humm, and Wharton (1942) which in- 

 cluded detailed drawings of the specialized legs, 

 as well as a lateral view of the whole animal. The 

 species is highly adapted for burrowing in sand, 

 and is usually found in small numbers. It bur- 

 rows backward, and at rest lies at an angle to the 

 surface with the long antennules extended in the 

 water above. If disturbed, the animals may de- 

 scend several centimeters into the sand. Benedict 

 (1904) commented on the possible feeding func- 

 tion of the antennules in the genus Lepidopa. In 

 1903, he found setae of annelids, skin of a small 

 Synapta, and parts of the flagella of some small 

 crustaceans among stomach contents of Lepidopa 

 scutellata. Such finding would be in accord with 

 the fact that Lepidopa, like Albunea, has well- 

 developed mandibles (Snodgrass, 1952). 



Ovigerous females have been taken in July, and 

 juveniles taken in plankton tows in July and 

 August in North Carolina. 



Family Hippidae 



Carapace subcylindrical, and with wings cover- 

 ing legs. First legs simple. Third maxillipeds 

 broad. Telson lengthened, lancet-shaped. 



Genus Emerita Scopoli, 1777 



Heegaard and Holthuis, 1960, p. 181. 



KEY TO SPECIES IN THE CAROLINAS 



(After Schmitt, 1935a) 



a. Dactyls of first legs subacute or sharply pointed dis- 

 tally ; transverse rugosities more or less continuous 

 over dorsum and continued posteriorly to inferior mar- 

 gin of carapace wings benedicti (p. 130). 



aa. Dactyls of first legs rounded or obtuse distally ; lat- 

 eral expansions or wings of carapace for greater part 

 smooth and punctate talpoida (p. 140). 



Emerita benedicti Schmitt 



Figure 115 



Emerita benedicti Schmitt, 1935a, p. 215, figs. 71 a, b. — Lunz, 

 1939, p. 336. 



Recognition characters. — Body convex, oval; 

 carapace firm; transverse rugosities more or less 

 continuous, close set, and crossing whole of dor- 



Figure 115. — Dactyl and portion 

 of propodus of first leg; A, 

 Emerita benedicti Schmitt ; B, 

 Emerita talpoida (Say) ; 1 mm. 

 indicated. 



sum, those on posterior part continued on wings 

 of carapace to inferior margin. Rostrum equi lat- 

 erally triangular in shape, separated by a rounded 

 sinus on each side from a prominent and subacute 

 tooth; an impressed, transverse line behind ros- 

 trum and a deeper, more strongly curved one far- 

 ther back. Posterolateral margins extending 

 downward to cover bases of legs; anterolateral 

 margins concave and subserrate. 



Eyest alks long, slender ; cornea minute. Anten- 

 nules about three times length of eyestalks ; basal 

 article with flagella hairy, forming respiratory 

 tube when approximated. Antennae normally 

 held beneath third maxillipeds, nearly twice as 

 long as carapace when extended ; first peduncular 

 article short, second one largest, with outer mar- 

 gin produced into a strong superior, and much 

 longer inferior, spine, both exceeding eyestalks; 

 flagellum densely beset laterally with eight rows 

 of fringed setae, outer rows longest. 



First pair of legs directed forward, articles 

 more or less hairy, and with impressed, inter- 

 rupted, transverse ciliated lines; dactyl subacute 

 distally; fifth article spinose distally. Second, 

 third, and fourth legs less strong, hairy, tips 

 curved and foliaceous. Fifth legs almost filamen- 

 tous, entirely concealed beneath abdomen. 



Abdomen broadest anteriorly, narrow posteri- 

 orly, flexed so that telson and sixth segment lie 

 beneath body. Uropods turned forward, resting 

 along sides of proximal segments. Telson elongate, 

 lanceolate, margined with reflected setae above 

 and inflected ones on edge; base with two short, 

 impressed lines. 



MARINE DECAPOD CRUSTACEANS OF THE CAROLINAS 



139 



