DECAPOD CRUSTACEANS OF THE WEST INDIES 



185 



and protogastric regions; mesogastric region often with pair of small 

 spots forming transverse row with large posteromesial spots in proto- 

 gastric region. Grooves delimiting mesogastric portion of carapace 

 pale, particularly along posterior margin. Anterolateral and, to more 

 marked degree, posterolateral portions of branchial region with 

 series of subparallel, very thin, light lines directed parallel to postero- 

 lateral margin of carapace, lines short anteriorly but increasing in 

 length posteriorly. Front dark brown to black. 



Eyestalks dark red; cornea chartreuse, often with dark brown spot 

 posterodorsaUy. Third maxillipeds cream with dark brown to buff 

 fringes of setae. Chelipeds darker above than below; merus magenta 

 fading ventrally to pinkish cream; carpus reddish purple above 

 fading to pinkish mauve below; propodus purple on palm with grada- 



FiGURE 60. — Sesarma {Holometopus) Toherti, male (carapace length 26.6 mm) from Dominica 



Station 11. 



tion along base of immovable finger to orange, lower surface diluted 

 with cream or white; dactyl mostly orange with bright red triangular 

 spot at base of mesial surface. Pereiopods dark grayish brown above, 

 bluish gray below; merus and carpus with irregular and variable 

 darker brown and tan splotches; tip of dactyl yellowish straw; setae 

 dark red. Sternum, basal podomeres of legs, and abdomen pinkish 

 cream with reticulate pattern of bluish gray; sternal plate between 

 chelipeds with mauve suffusion; margin of telson orange. 



The females of this species seem to have a more regularly banded 

 pattern on the walking legs than do the males, and even the chelipeds 

 bear conspicuous bands and irregular markings. 



Material examined. — The Dominican collections contain 68 

 males (carapace lengths 3.2-26.8 mm), 59 females (cl 4.5-24.3 mm), 

 including 9 with eggs (cl 17.2-23.0 mm), and 6 juveniles (cl 1.2-3.0 



