Vol. 35, pp. 137-140 October 17, 1922 



PROCEEDINGS 



OF THE 



BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON 



AN INTERESTING ADDITION TO THE FLORIDIAN 

 DECAPOD CRUSTACEAN FAUNA. 



BY PEARL LEE BOONE. 



The capture of two specimens at Key West in 1914 by Mr. 

 Louis L. Mowbray and more recent investigations by the Bio- 

 logical Laboratory of the Miami Aquarium Association have 

 added to our knowledge of the wonderfully rich crustacean 

 fauna of Florida a third species of edible crawfish or spiny lob- 

 ster, the magnificent PanuUrus laevicauda (Latreille), hitherto 

 known only from the type locality, "the shores of Brazil," 

 French Guiana, one or two stations along the east coast of Cen- 

 tral America, and more rarely from the Isle of Pines and southern 

 Cuba. 



According to Moreira, this species is more abundant in Brazil 

 than either PanuUrus argus, the common edible crawfish of 

 Florida, or P. guttatus, the "guinea crawfish," and is commonly 

 sold in the markets of that country. These PanuUrus are 

 industrially the most important crustaceans of tropical Ameri- 

 can waters, hence it is especially gratifying to learn that Panu- 

 Urus laevicauda which is economically predominant in Brazil, is 

 also native to Florida and consequently available for artificial 

 propagation should it become desirable to supplement the natu- 

 ral supply of crawfish. 



The layman can readily distinguish P. laevicauda from its 

 American alUes by: 1, its distinctive exquisitely rich moss green 

 and maroon coloration; 2, the short proximal joint of the anten- 

 nules; 3, the shape of the epistome, particularly the anterior 

 margin of the latter; 4, the fact that its abdominal segments are 

 smooth dorsally, not having a transverse groove. 



The following description of the species is given in order to 



31— Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash., Vol. 35, 1922. (137) 



