DECAPOD CRUSTACEANS OF THE WEST INDIES 



195 



Genus Cardisoma 

 79. Cardisoma guanhiimi Latreille 



Figures 64, 67a-c 



Cardisoma guanhumi Latreille, 1852d, p. 685 [type-locality: Brazil]. — Rathbun, 



1918, p. 341. pis. 106-107.— Herreid, 1967, p. 39. 

 Ocypoda gigantea Freminville, 1835, p. 221 [type-locality: Antilles]. 

 Cardisoma quadrata Saussure, 1858, p. 438, pi. 2: fig. 13 [type-locality: Haiti]. 

 Cardisoma diurnum Gill, 1859, p. 42 [type-localities: Barbados, Grenada, and 



Saint Thomas]. 

 Cardisoma ^uan/jumr.— Bright, 1966, p. 191, fig. 41. 



Diagnosis. — Fronto-orbital distance about t\vo-tliirds of maximum 

 carapace width in adult males, nearly three-fourths in females. Third 

 maxillipeds with exopod visible, liairy; merus emarginate distally, not 

 covering epistome or antennular cavities, with coarse palp. Dactjds of 

 walking legs with four rows of spines. A very large species, maximum 

 carapace length in midline about 90 mm. 











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Figure 64. — Cardisoma guanhumi, male (carapace length 84.0 mm) from Dominica station 6, 



Color in life. — The larger representatives of this species are 

 nearly concolorous except for the stiff black hairs on the legs. Indi- 

 viduals may be pale blue, lavender, or gray, with oiily the front and 

 antennular peduncles darker than the remainder of the body. The 

 apodemal pits on the dorsal surface of the carapace are always ap- 

 parent as white or cream spots, and the spines and tips of the dactyls 

 of the walking legs are corneous tan or brown. 



Quite the reverse is true of the smaller crabs. Very young ones 

 are uniformly tan, but they soon develop a highly intricate pattern of 

 tan, pink, and blue spots on the carapace, and bands and spots of 

 white and tan on the pereiopods. 



