Figure 217. — Anasimus latus Rathbun. Male in dorsal 

 view, legs of left side not shown, 10 mm. indicated. 



abdominal segment; anterior gastric spine one of 

 transverse row of about five; branchial region 

 with three small spines or tubercles in triangular 

 arrangement. Three anterolateral spines, one he- 

 patic and two branchial above base of cheliped. 

 Rostrum short, medially carinate, broadly tri- 

 angular at base, ending in short, sharp, upturned 

 spine. Eyes large; prominent supraorbital spines 

 separated by depression, postorbital spines long, 

 exceeding eye in large specimens. Antenna short, 

 slightly exceeding rostrum, basal article with ter- 

 minal spine and a stout spine pointing downward 

 and forward in front of eye. Pterygostomian re- 

 gion with row of spines and spinules continued 

 to antennal segment including long spine at 

 angle of buccal cavity. Sternum of male coarsely 

 granulate. 



Chelipeds of male more than twice length of 

 carapace, granulate; merus cylindrical; palm 

 swollen, shorter than fingers; fingers slender, 

 curved inward, gaping at base only, finely and 

 evenly toothed except for larger basal tooth on 

 dactyl. Female with chelipeds a little longer than 

 carapace but smaller than in male, fingers not 

 gaping. Walking legs long, slender, cylindrical, 

 roughened, except on dactyl, with numerous short, 

 stout, appressed spinules; propodi and dactyls 

 with double fringe of hair. 



MARINE DECAPOD CRUSTACEANS OF THE CAROLENAS 



Abdomen of male with six, female with five, 

 free segments; female with median tubercle on 

 third and fourth segments. 



Measurements. — Carapace: male, length, 26 

 mm., width, 24 mm. Length of cheliped, 58 mm., 

 of first walking leg, 106 mm. 



Variations. — The adults are relatively broader 

 than the young whose rostrum and dorsal spines 

 are longer. The postorbital spines are very small, 

 pointing directly outward, and with little more 

 than a tubercle in specimens 9 mm. long or less. 



Color. — Recently preserved specimens show 

 dark reddish or brown rings on the legs (Hol- 

 thuis, 1959). 



Habitat. — This form has been taken from coarse 

 sand, coral, coral sand, and mud and shell bottom ; 

 26 to 88 fathoms. 



Type locality. — Gulf of Mexico, east of Delta 

 of Mississippi River, lat. 29°14'30" N. long 88° 

 09'30" W.j 68 fathoms. 



Known range. — Off Cape Lookout, N.C., to off 

 Tabasco, Mexico (Hildebrand, 1954) ; west of 

 Trinidad, and off Surinam (Holthuis, 1959). 



Remarks. — Ovigerous females have been re- 

 ported from southern Florida and the northern 

 Gulf of Mexico in all seasons of the year, from 

 North Carolina in June (Rathbun, 1925, and U.S. 

 National Museum records), and Surinam from 

 April to August (Holthuis, 1959). 



Genus Podochela Stimpson, 1860 



Rathbun, 1925, p. 31. 



KEY TO SPECIES IN THE CAROLINAS 



a. Rostrum broad, rounded in front. 



b. Dactyls of last three pairs of legs less than one-half 

 length of propodus ; pterygostomian region bearing a 



broad, spinelike projection riisei (p. 241). 



bb. Dactyls of last three pairs of legs one-half or 

 more length of propodus ; pterygostomian region bear- 

 ing a long thin lamina Sidney! (p. 242). 



aa. Rostrum long, spiniform gracilipes (p. 243). 



Podochela riisei Stimpson 



Figures 218, 223G 

 Podochela riisei Stimpson, 1860a, p. 196, pi. 2, fig. 6. — Hay and 

 Shore, 1918, p. 453, pi. 37, fig. 9.— Rathbun, 1925, p. 33. text- 

 figs. 9a-b; pi. 11, figs. 1-2; pi. 208, fig. 2 (rev.). 



Recognition characters. — Carapace pyriform, 

 depressed, widest near posterior margin, greatest 

 width about two-thirds length, dorsal region un- 

 even and with tufts of hairs. Rostrum broad, 



241 



