Vol. XI, pp. 181-183 



July 1, 1897 



PROCEEDINGS 



BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON 



^ 



DESCRIPTION OF A NEW GENUS AND SPECIES OF 

 SPH.EPtOMID.E FROM ALASKAN AVATEPvS* 



BY HARRIET RICHARDSON. 



The dredgings made by the U. S. Fish Commission Steamer 

 'Albatross' off the Alaskan coast in the years 1888-1894 contain 

 a number of specimens of Spha3romid8e which evidently belong 

 to a genus hitherto undescribed. Although it is impossible to 

 refer these specimens to the genus Ancinus of Milne Edwards, 

 yet they are more closely related to that genus than to any other. 

 They resemble Ancinus in the possession of subchelate hands 

 terminating the first and second pairs of gnathopods. 



Tecticeps gen. nov. 



Body oval and some\yhat flattened. 



Head snbquadrangulav, broader anteriorly than posteriorly, with its 

 anterior and lateral margin.s produced, concealing 

 the antennaj. 



The antennae, which are entirely hidden, extend 

 backward and lie under the epimeral plates at the 

 sides of the thorax. 



The first and second pairs of legs are subchelate ; 

 the first pair terminate in a large hand and finger, 

 bearing a small hook ; the second pair terminate in 

 a more irregularly shaped hand. All the other legs 

 are simple in structure. 



The terminal segnient of the abdomen is tri- 

 angular and entire and is pointed at its extremity. 

 The uropoda are double-branched and lateral, and 

 resemble closely those of the genus Sphxroma. 



Fig. 9. — Tecticeps cilas- 

 censts. X 2'%. 



* Published by permission of the Secretary of the Smithsonian Insti- 

 tution. 



43— Biot.. Soc. Wash., Voi,. XI, 1897 



(181) 



