FISHERY BULLETIN: VOL. 72, NO. 3 



region where granules are more widely spaced; 

 sulci and lines of granules more prominent on 

 young than on adults. 



Chelipeds with prominent and sharply tubercu- 

 late or spiniform ridge on outer surface of prop- 

 odus, other ridges lower and nearly smooth. 



Male abdomen and telson reaching a bit beyond 

 suture between thoracic sternites IV and V; telson 

 triangular, longer than broad, sixth segment 

 slightly constricted in proximal half. Mature 

 female abdomen and telson reaching about same 

 level as male, telson with inflated sides longer 

 than wide, segments 5 and 6 almost equal in 

 length. First gonopods of male (Figures 18h, 20j, 

 k) reaching to midlength of thoracic sternite VI 

 with tips slightly inclined mesad toward each 

 other, not overlapping but thrown into sinuous 

 curves, twisting on axis at level of suture between 

 thoracic sternites VI and VII and armed at this 

 level with a crowded lateral band of assorted 

 short, rather blunt, retrogressive spinules becom- 

 ing less numerous and more slender proximal and 

 distal to this level, longer distally and shorter 

 proximally; a subterminal row of rather promi- 

 nent well separated exceedingly slender setae on 

 sternomesial aspect. Gonopores of female (Figure 

 22h) asymmetrically ovate in outline with orien- 

 tation of long axis mainly in frontal plane but with 

 apex directed anteromesad; aperture of each lat- 

 erally elongate and sloping from broadest area at 

 surface on mesial side to narrower deeper portion 

 under uniformly rounded borders on remaining 

 sides. 



Size of carapace in mm. — Largest male: length 

 76, width at base of lateral spines 135, including 

 lateral spines 154 (from crab purchased in Mexico 

 City fish market by Edgard Taissoun and Alfredo 

 Vidal after statistical analysis was completed). 

 Largest female: length 89, width at base of lateral 

 spines 160, including lateral spines 178. Sum- 

 mary of selected measurements is given in Tables 

 1 and 2. 



Color. — The only good published color descrip- 

 tion is that of Garth and Stephenson (1966), 

 "Carapace mottled greenish yellow to brownish 

 green, sometimes with dark spot on center of orbit 

 and dark green areas roughly outlining epibran- 

 chial ridge. Arms generally greenish yellow to 

 greenish brown, wrist articulations purple red. 

 Hand with blotch at level of finger articulation, 

 this blue-green in smaller and purple in larger 



specimens. Similar internal blotch purple 

 throughout. Inner surface hand and fingers cen- 

 trally white to pale blue, dorsally purple to red- 

 purple, and ventrally blue to purple-blue. 

 Cheliped colors most vivid in largest male." Al- 

 most brown above, cream colored below, tubercles 

 and ridges of hand tinged with red (Lockington, 

 1876). 



Specimens purchased at a fish market in Mexico 

 City and preserved in Formalin^ about 21 June 

 1972, by Edgard Taissoun and Alfredo Vidal were 

 seen by me on June 23. Colors were: male tannish 

 purple overall; ridges of chelipeds, carpi, and front 

 edge of meri having deepest purplish cast. Pos- 

 terior areas of carapace grading through brownish 

 cast to areas of beige on posterolateral slopes and 

 swimming paddles. A round beige spot on pos- 

 terolateral border just anterior to insertion of 

 swimming legs. Upper surfaces of palms with a 

 reticulate pattern of purple lines on beige to off- 

 white background. Inner and outer surfaces of 

 chelipeds and ventral aspect off-white with sug- 

 gestion of yellow. Superior and inferior edges of 

 fingers purple grading to blue on inner face of 

 fingers, and a reticulate blue stripe along lower 

 inner border of palm. Teeth of chelipeds oyster 

 white at their crowns, but their bases light purple 

 giving impression of a purple "gum" line. 



Female similar to male but with a more tan to 

 beige hue on carapace and upper surface of palms. 

 Blue color confined to inner surface of propodal 

 finger only. 



Prominent tubercles and tips of spines oyster 

 white in both sexes. 



Variation. — Variation in C. bellicosus, as in 

 other members of the genus, seems largely a mat- 

 ter of differential growth changes. Openness of the 

 inner orbital fissures has been used as a key 

 character for this species, but large series show 

 the character to vary individually; though usually 

 open, the fissure is often closed. The edge of the 

 frontal area slopes upward from contact with the 

 exposed median epigastric spine to a row or cluster 

 of obsolescent granules which mark the site of 

 obsolescent submesial frontal teeth. In all other 

 species the front overhangs this spine to at least 

 some extent. The species is notable for sharpness 

 of teeth and spines. Anterolaterals pointing for- 

 ward in the young are directed more outward in 

 mature specimens. These teeth are often almost 



^Reference to trade names does not imply endorsement by the 

 National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA. 



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