Boone, Crustacea, Cruises of "Eagle" and "Ara," 1921-28 53 



Lithodes maja Leach, Edinburgh EncycL, 7, 1814-17 ; Trans. Linn. 

 Soc, vol. 11, p. 352, 1815 ; Malacostraca Podophthalmata Britan- 

 niae, 1815, London, tab. 24, text on opposite page (color plate). 



Maia araignee Latreille, Hist. Nat. des Crust, et des Insectes, vol. 6, 

 p. 91, Le Crabe epineux Asean. Icon. Rer. Natur., tab. XXXX. 



Lithodes maia S. I. Smith, Proc. U. S. Mus., vol. 6, p. 25, 1883. 



Family: GALATHEIDAE. 



Genus : MUNIDA Leach. 



Munida gregaria (Fabricius). 



Plate 12. 



Diagnostic characters: Nearly always found in large schools; 

 animal vivid blood-red. Carapace rectangular, with about seventeen 

 transverse ciliated rugae. Rostrum acuminate, flanked by one pair 

 of subrostral spines ; there is one pair of spinules on the gastric region 

 behind the subrostral spines and one branchiostegal spine on each side. 

 No lateral spines in the adult. Abdomen without spinules, but with 

 two transverse ridges on each segment except the telson. 



Type: "Habitat in Oceano Americano Patagoniam alluente gre- 

 garia." Fabricius described the species from material in the private 

 collection of Sir Joseph Banks ; which collection was later deposited in 

 the British Museum. 



Distribution : Bathypelagic in both Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. 



Material examined: One specimen dredged in 100 fms., Punta 

 Arenas, Costa Rica, February, 1928, by the "Ara," William K. Van- 

 derbilt, commanding. 



Technical description: Front produced to a slender, acuminate 

 rostral spine, which is dorsally keeled, this keel extending back on the 

 carapace briefly. The rostrum measures 4 mm. long from tip to base, 

 or a little longer than the eye, on either side of which there is a small 

 spine. Beyond this the frontal margin is concave ; there is a branchi- 

 ostegal spine just above the antennal peduncle. A pair of small, sub- 

 median spines occur on the anterior part of the carapace, on either 

 side of the rostral carina, one behind each of the subrostral spines. 

 There are no other spines on the carapace. The carapace is rectangu- 

 lar, 11.5 mm. median width, dorsal surface very convex, cervical 

 groove deep, anterior region of carapace ornamented with about seven 

 transverse ridges, some of which are interrupted, all are minutely 

 punctate and are margined with a long fringe of fine amber-colored 



