302 A. E. Verrill — Decapod Crustacea of Bermuda. 



The carapace is strongly areolated and lias ))rominent, but thin, 

 curved transverse ridges or crests, sharply granulated on their edges. 

 The areolations of the gastric region form a conspicuous mask-like 

 figure, Avhen drj-. The depressed areas are mostly covered with 

 minute, sharp, but not very clo«e granules, which bear minute ruugh 

 hairs to which dirt often adheres ; the legs are simihirly clothed, * 

 except the small glossj"^ areas. The edges of the carapace and mar- 

 ginal teeth are fringed with longer hairs. 



The chelipeds are unusually long. The ambulator}^ legs are nota- 

 bly long and slender, the first pair rather longer than the others; 

 the three distal segments of the front legs are somewhat flattened 

 and well fringed with long hairs below, thus somewhat approaching 

 the form seen in those of Portumis Sagi, but less flattened and less 

 remiform. The legs of the second and third pairs are only slightly 

 flattened and lightl}^ fringed. The basal and merus segments of the 

 swimming feet are unarmed; the distal end of the merus is rounded. 



The marginal teeth are all similar in form and size, very acute, 

 curved forward and upward. 



The merus of the chelipeds has an anterior row, usually of six, 

 slender, sharp spines, unequally spaced, the first very small, increas- 

 ing in size distally, the last at the distal angle; posterior distal spine 

 reduced to a tubercle or obsolete; carpal spines two, the inner longer, 

 of moderate length, banded with red. The manus has a prominent 

 dorsal carina, curved over to the inside, leaving a fringed groove 

 beside it; it bears, at the extreme distal end, a single, acute, nearly 

 straight tooth, directed forward. The dactylus is strongly grooved; 

 the dorsal side is fringed with long hairs; the thumb has two fringes. 

 The hand has five ribs on the outer, under, and upper sides ; the 

 middle outer one is much the stronger, so that the form of the 

 hand is rather triquetral in an end view. There are small smooth 

 areas between the ribs and on the carpus and fingers, which are 

 glossy or lustrous when dry. 



In life the carapace is irregularly mottled with light and dark 

 irrav, closelv imitating the colors of the sand ; the chelipeds and . 

 posterior legs are similar, though paler; but the first pair of ambula- 

 tory legs, which are longer than the others, are bright purple or 

 deep blue in the larger specimens, while some portion of the same 

 color is usually seen on the next two pairs, but the color of the first 

 pair is in striking contrast with that of the rest of the crab. This 

 has, no doubt, some useful purpose, but as it ai)pears in specimens 

 apparently too young to mate, it is probably not a sexual attraction. 



