Family Homolidae 



Crabs with carapace rectangular, ovoid, or urn- 

 shaped, longer than broad. Eyes incompletely 

 sheltered by orbits when retracted, terminal joint 

 of eyestalk either longer or shorter than slender 

 basal joint. External maxillipeds pediform, sub- 

 pediform, or suboperculiform. Sternum of female 

 without longitudinal grooves. Gills 8, 10, 13, or 

 14 on each side (Rathbun, 1937, modified after 

 Gordon, 1950 ; Hemming, 1958c) . 



Genus Hotnola Leach, 1815 



Rathbun, 1937, p. 62. — Hemming, 1958c. 



Homola barbata (Fabricius) 



Figure 121 



Cancer barbatus Fabricius, 1793, p. 460. 



Homola barbata: Hay and Shore, 1918, p. 419, pi. 30, flg. 10. 

 Thelxiope barbata: Rathbun, 1937, p. 63, text-fig. 16, pi. 15, 

 figs. 1-2 (rev.). 



Figure 121. — Homola barbata (Fabricius). Animal in 

 dorsal view (after Smith, 1887). 



Recognition characters. — Carapace about one- 

 fourth longer than wide with surface granulate, 

 spinulose, and sparsely setose; Tinea anomurica 

 distinct and dorsal; sides nearly straight, only 

 slightly convergent posteriorly, and extending al- 

 most vertically downward from a spiny ridge run- 

 ning backward from behind a strong spine situ- 

 ated at extremities of suture separating gastric 

 and hepatic regions. Rostrum small, bifurcate at 

 tip; a spine on each side at base of rostrum, one at 



outer orbital angle, a transverse row of two be- 

 hind rostrum, behind these a transverse row of 

 eight, and farther back a small median spine. An- 

 terolateral parts below and behind orbits with 

 small spines. Eyestalks long, slender at base, and 

 abruptly enlarged below cornea. 



Chelipeds of moderate size, surface granulate 

 and hairy; merus and carpus with rows of spines. 

 Walking legs with flattened articles, long, hairy, 

 and spinulose along margins. Second segment of 

 abdomen with a large, median, conical tooth. 



Measurements. — Carapace including rostrum : 

 male, length, 30 mm., width at base of lateral 

 spines, 22 mm., posterior width, 16 mm. ; female, 

 length, 33 mm., width at spines, 25 mm., posterior 

 width, 20 mm. 



Color. — "Body covered with tawny or yellow- 

 ish-brown or reddish-brown hair; spines red or 

 partly red'' (Rathbun, 1937). 



Habitat.— Thirty to 373 fathoms. 



Type locality. — Bay of Naples. 



Known range. — Off southeastern Massachusetts 

 to Caribbean Sea; eastern Atlantic Ocean from 

 Portugal and Azores to Madeira Islands; Medi- 

 terranean Sea ; South Africa. 



Remarks. — This essentially deep-water species 

 has been reported in 63 fathoms off North Caro- 

 lina. Ovigerous females have been reported in 

 October off Delaware Bay (Rathbun, 1937), and 

 are known off North Carolina and Florida in June 

 and July. 



Gordon (1950) discussed the anatomical struc- 

 ture of the spermathecae of females and copula- 

 tory apparatus of males in the genus Homola, and 

 remarked upon the evolutionary sequence shown 

 by these structures in the Dromiacea.  



Subsection Oxystomata 



Epistome reduced or absent. Efferent branchial 

 channels terminating at middle of buccal area, 

 buccal cavern produced forward and generally 

 elongate-triangular in shape, efferent channels 

 enclosed by an elongate lamellar process of 

 exopods of first maxillipeds. Afferent branchial 

 openings either in front of bases of chelipeds, or 

 at sides of endostome. Gills six to nine on each 

 side. Antennules Folding either longitudinally or 

 obliquely, rarely transversely. Male genital ducts 

 protruding through bases of fifth legs or through 



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