Boone, Cmstacea, Cruise of "Alva," 1931 45 



slightly narrower and has a similar acute spine at each the inner 

 and outer distal angles, that at the inner angle being slightly the 

 longer, extending to midway the eye ; the third article is small ; 

 the flagellum, represented by about sixty-three rings, appears to 

 be broken off at this point ; the portion present extends to midway 

 the finger of the chelipeds. 



The chelipeds are subequal, slender, about two and two-thirds 

 times as long as the lateral margin of the carapace, covered with 

 squamae on the upper surfaces, and with the anterior lateral mar- 

 gin of the merus, carpus and propodus armed with a series of 

 acute spines; a single spine is situated on the lateral margin at 

 the base of the upper finger ; there is a longitudinal series of spines 

 on the upper surface among the squamae. There is also a solitary 

 spine on the upper distal margin of the merus and another at the 

 outer distal angle. The fingers are subequal, slender, blade-like, 

 each a little longer than the palm, the curved tips crossing and 

 with two spinules subdistal to the tip on the outer margin of each 

 finger. 



The ambulatory legs successively decrease in length in the or- 

 der 1, 2, 3, but are otherwise similar, slender, the posterior lateral 

 margin of each the merus, carpus, propodus and proximal two- 

 thirds of dactyl armed with a series of spinules; the tip of the 

 dactyl is curved moderately, acute. The anterior lateral margins 

 of these legs have a series of long fine setae. 



The fifth pair of legs is typically small, slender, reflexed. 



Remarks : The present specimen conforms in major essentials 

 with M. andamanica Alcock, from which it differs : (a) In possess- 

 ing a small precervical spinule on either side on the third trans- 

 verse beaded ridge, (b) In possessing two pairs of spinules, one of 

 each pair being on each side, posterior to the cervical groove, 

 where Dr. Alcock notes only one pair present. On the "Alva" 

 specimen the second pair of spines are so fine that they could 

 easily be mistaken for a hair, especially on a wet specimen, (c) The 

 present specimen has definitely six spinules on the second abdomi- 

 nal segment, but also has an encrusting foreign calcareous growth 

 which may and probably does conceal two more spinules beneath it. 



The differences cited are too trivial to merit consideration, 

 especially when it is remembered that the present specimen is very 

 young. Hence, it is placed as variety andamanica Alcock. 



