CniiiTOX. — On New Zealand Idoteidse. 191 



to Miers's exhaustive revision of the family, where the full 

 synonymy v^^ill be found. 



I am indebted for specimens to Mr. E. M. Laing, of 

 Lyttelton, to the Trustees of the Australian Museum, and 

 particularly to Mr. G. M. Thomson, who placed at my dis- 

 posal all the IclotcidcB in his collection, including the types 

 •of the species described by him. 



Idotea mabina. 



Idotca marina, Miers, "Jour. Linn. Soc. Zoology," 

 vol. xvi., p. 25 (1881). (The complete synonymy is given in 

 the work quoted.) 



" Body smooth, moderately convex, and not tuberculated 

 or rugose. Head with the antero-lateral angles very little 

 prominent and rounded, the anterior margin very slightly 

 emarginate. First thoracic segment with the antero-lateral 

 lobes subacute, and not quite reaching to the eyes. Post- 

 abdomen about equalling in length the five preceding thoracic 

 segments ; terminal segment with the sides straight and 

 slightly convergent to the distal extremity, which is usually 

 more or less tridentate, with the postero-lateral lobes (or lateral 

 teeth) rounded and much less prominent than the median 

 tooth, which is obtuse ; there are usually more or less marked 

 indications of a median keel on the dorsal surface of the 

 segment. In other, even adult examples, there are no indica- 

 tions of any except the median tooth. Eyes small. Anten- 

 nules with the basal joint little dilated, not reaching beyond 

 the penultimate joint of the peduncle of the antennie in the 

 adult. Antennae, when retracted, about reaching to the 

 posterior margin of the fourth thoracic segment, with the last 

 peduncular joint a little longer than the preceding ; fiagellum 

 with not more than twenty joints, and usually about sixteen 

 in the adult. Legs slender ; epimera of second to fourth 

 segments more or less oblong, and reaching to the posterior 

 margin of the segment ; those of sixth and seventh 

 segments with the postero-lateral angles acute. Posterior 

 plates of the operculum suboblong, longer than broad in the 

 adult. Colour very variable. Length of an adult male does 

 not usually exceed 1-Jin. (30mm.), breadth rather more than 

 iin. (9mm.)."— [MiERS.] 



The description given above is taken from Miers's " Kevi- 

 sion of the Idoteidce." The species has a very wide range, being 

 found in Europe, North America, South America (Eio Janeiro), 

 Australia, Java, &c. The occurrence of the species in New 

 Zealand is given by Miers on the authority of a specimen 

 in the Paris Collection (M. Petit). 



I know the species both through Miers's description and 

 from a specimen from Whitby, England, kindly sent to me by 



