REPORT OF COMMISSIONERS OF INLAND FISHERIES. 63 



"The zoea is readily distinguishable from that of the allied species 

 (Neapanope texana say i) by the following characteristics: 

 The spines on the carapace are much shorter proportionally, es- 

 pecially the frontal spine; the antennae are shorter, more strongly 

 curved, and armed at the tip with short spines; the telson is much 

 shorter. Otherwise the zoeas closely resemble each other, and their 

 development is nearly parallel." 



(Genus) NEAPANOPE A. Milne Edwards. 



Neapanope texana sayi Smith. ^' Mud Crab." 



Plate I. Figure 4. 



Panopeus sayi Smith. Verrill and Smith, 1874. 



Panopeus sayi Smith. Benedict and Rathbun, 1891. 



This crab has a hexagonal carapace which is somewhat narrower 

 and more convex than the carapace of E. depressus. The 

 fingers are black or horn colored. The terminal segment of the 

 abdomen is triangular. 



Habitat: under stontes on muddy and sandy shores. 



Distribution: Cape Cod to Florida. 



Economic value: food for fishes. 



Season in Rhode Island: 



When are the eggs laid, and how long after copulation? 



How long does the female carry the eggs? 



Extent of hatching season: 



LARVAL FORMS. 



Faxon (Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool. Vol. VI, No. 10) describes this 

 zoea, as follows: "It differs from all the other zoea with which I am 

 acquainted in the structure of the second pair of antennae, which 

 consist of a single monstrously developed spine equal in length to 

 the rostrum. The carapace has, in addition to the dorsal and rostral 

 spines, a pair of short lateral spines. In the middle line of the back^ 

 well towards the eyes, is a well-marked hump." 



