240 ALLAN HANCOCK PACIFIC EXPEDITIONS VOL. 21 



Basal article of antenna slender, bearing a thickened ridge internally 

 culminating in a blunt tooth, first two movable segments thickened and 

 compressed. Merus of third maxilliped broader than long, notched inter- 

 nally to receive palpus. 



Female chelipeds robust, tuberculate, massive, the chelae elongated 

 and broadened. Merus with three or four low tubercles on outer margin ; 

 carpus with several tubercles and a median ridge; manus elongated, 

 crested above, bearing setose tubercles on both its internal and external 

 surfaces ; fingers short, stout, convex and toothed exteriorly, the concave 

 inner margins lined with shaggy hairs. Dactyl with rounded superior 

 margin, pollex slightly deflexed, teeth and ridges of both dactyl and 

 pollex outlined in white. 



Ambulatory legs cristate ; first leg the longest, merus with two shar- 

 pened tubercles along its lower anterior border ; remaining pairs of legs 

 similar, meri bearing a lamellate ridge most advanced medially and dis- 

 tally, carpi with a similar rounded crest ; propodi but slightly thickened 

 medially and without a distal tooth ; dactyli of all legs spinulous, dactylus 

 of fourth pair overreaching propodus by the length of its curved yellow 

 nail. 



Female abdomen and sternum eroded ; female abdomen with five free 

 somites. 



Material examined: In addition to the holotype, a female paratype 

 from Gorgona Island, Colombia, (A.H.F. No. 412), a gift of the Amer- 

 ican Museum of Natural History. The paratype is photographically illus- 

 trated. 



Measurements: Female holotype: length 6.15 mm, hepatic width 

 6.15 mm, branchial width 5.8 mm, rostrum 1.1 mm, cheliped 6.9 mm, 

 manus 3.5 mm, dactyl 1.2 mm, height of palm 1.2 mm. Female paratype: 

 length 8.0 mm, hepatic width 8.0 mm, branchial width 8.15 mm. 



Color in life: Unrecorded. 



Habitat: Presumed to have been collected in association with marine 

 plants, although no notation to this effect was made at time of capture. 



Depth: 4-7 meters. 



Remarks: Since the male of the species is unknown, its placement in 

 the genus Epialtoides, rather than in Epialtus, sensu restr., can be only 

 tentative. It is based on a certain superficial resemblance to Epialtoides 

 hiltoni, the male of which has five free abdominal segments. The charac- 

 ter of the male first pleopod, when available, should furnish an additional 

 clue to the relationship of this distinctive species. 



