Boone, Crustacea, Cruises of "Eagle" and "Ara," 1921-28 113 



Microphrys hicornutus A. Milne Edwards, Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. 

 Nat., vol. 8, p. 247, 1872 ; Crust. Reg. Mex., p. 61, pi. 14, figs. 2-4, 

 1873. — Rathbun, Bijd. Dierk, Zool., Amsterdam, Aflev. 23, p. 18, 

 1924; Bull. 129, U. S. Nat. Mus., p. 489, pi. 175, and text fig. 139, 

 1925. 



Microphrys Mcornuta Kingsley, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., vol. 31, 

 p. 386, 1879. 



Family: MAIIDAE Miers. 

 Subfamily: Maiinae. 



Genus : MAIA Lamarck. 



Maia verrucosa H. Milne Edwards. 



Plate 34. 



Name : Mediterranean giant spider crab. 



Type : Prof. H. Milne Edwards does not state the depository of this 

 type which ' ' inhabits the Mediterranean Sea. ' ' 



Distribution : Mediterranean Sea and coasts of Hispanic Peninsula. 



Material examined : Two, Casa Blanca, Morocco. 



Habits: This is the largest of the Mediterranean spider crabs. It 

 lies hidden in the rock crevices in deeper water, concealing itself by 

 covering its back with small pebbles, sand particles, etc., which are 

 semi-fastened by the long, stiff, brown hairs. 



Remarks: This crab is used as an article of food by the poorer 

 classes. 



Technical description : Carapace 83 mm. long, exclusive of ros- 

 trum, 73 mm. maximum width, exclusive of spines ; broadly pyrif orm, 

 almost oval, the rostrum consists of two short, widely divergent, tri- 

 angulate horns, each 11 mm. long, the upper surface moderately 

 convex, armed all over with short, conical, upstanding spines, some of 

 which are smaller than others, and with a dense coating of stiff, brown 

 hairs, many of which are hooked. The basal antennal article bears 

 two sharp spines, one at its inner distal angle, which is ventral and 

 points outward, and a longer one at its external distal angle, which is 

 directed obliquely outward and is dorsally visible. There is also a 

 small spine at the lower distal angle. There is no preorbital spine; 



