350 THE GENUS CALLINECTES—M. J. RATHBUN. vol. xvui. 



In 1879 Kingsley described a species, C. dubia, from the west coast 

 of Nicaragua. lu 1893 Mr. James E. Benedict added CaUinectes tum- 

 idn-s, var. gladiator, from tlie west coast of Africa. 



I liave reduced the number of the above species by two, the 

 €. pleuriticus of Ordway and C. dubia of Kingsley being based on 

 young specimens of C. arcuatus. I have changed the name CaUi- 

 nectes hastatus to CaUinectes sapidus and have added a new subspecies, 

 C. sapidus acntideus. 



De Geer ^ was perhaps the first naturalist to represent a CaUinectes. 

 Under the name " Crabede Tocean,'' he described in very general terms 

 a swimming crab which he supposed identical with Cancer pelagicus of 

 Linnreus, but which Ordway considered synonymous with Gibbes' Lupa 

 sayi. Figures 8, 9 and 11 correctly represent neither of these species, 

 nor are they applicable to any species of CaUinectes, while, on the other 

 hand, Figure 10 shows the narrow abdomen characteristic of that genus. 



Bosc- describes the habits of the common edible crab aud tbe 

 methods of taking it ; but calls it ' by the name of another species, 

 Fortunns Jiastatus, translating a description given by Fabricius instead 

 of describing the specimens he has seen. 



Say was the first to give an unmistakable description of our northern 

 CaUinectes, calling it Xw^m hastata, thereby confusing it with the Liii- 

 na-an Cancer hastatus, a different species of Lupa, from the Mediterra- 

 nean. That he undoubtedly meant to redescribe the known species is 

 evidenced by the phrase, ^'In addition to the particulars already stated 

 by naturalists of its manners." Say also redescribed Lupa pelagica 

 (Linnaius), but the name of his form of that species was soon changed 

 by Gibbes to Lupa sayi. It is evident that in like manner the specific 

 name hastata should be retained solely for the Linnpean form. It does 

 not alter the case that the European and American species are now 

 placed in different genera. 



After Say, Latreille was the only writer to give a name to our species. 

 In 1825^ he described Portunus diacantha, but unfortunately confused 

 several species under this name. As the variety he mentions as having 

 been sent from Philadelphia, in which "les quatre dents du front sont 

 reunies et ne forment qu'un lobe largement echancre,'' is undoubtedly 

 our common CaUinectes, his typical form must be a different si)ecies. 

 The terms "flavescente, maculis rubris, elongatis" aud "un verdatre- 

 obscur en devaut" are strongly suggestive oif the southern CaUinectes 

 bocourti. In any case, the name diacanthus is not available for the 

 common northern form. 



Besides the collection in the United States National Museum, I have 

 been permitted, through the kindness of Dr. Walter Faxon and Prof. 



iM^moires pour servir a I'Histoire des Insectes, VII, 427, pi. xxvi, figs. 8-11, 1778. 



2 Hist. Nat. Crust., I, pp. 212-214, 1801-1802. 



3 Page 219. 



^Encyc. M6fh. Hist. Nat., Eutom., X, 190. 



