198 U.S. NATIONAL MUSEUM BULLETIN 292 



Habitat. — Terrestrial. 



Distribution. — Trinidad, Ilha Fernando de Noronha, Ascension 

 I., Cameroon, and islands in the Gulf of Guinea. 



81. Gecarcinus lateralis (Freminville) 



Figures 65, Q7e-g 



Ocypoda lateralis Freminville, 1835, p. 224 [type-localities: Martinique, Guade- 

 loupe, Marie Galante, La Dfeirade, lies des Saintes]. 



Gecarcinus lateralis. — Gu6rin-M&ieville, 1829-44, pi. 5: fig. 1. — Pocock, 1889, 

 p. 6.— Rathbun, 1918, p. 355, pis. 119, 120. 



Gecarcinus depressus De Saussure, 1858, p. 439, pi. 2: fig. 14 [type-locality: Re- 

 public of Haiti]. 



Geocarcinus lateralis. — V^lez, 1967, p. 43. 



Diagnosis. — Fronto-orbital distance about half of maximum cara- 

 pace width in adults. Third maxillipeds with exopod hidden beneath 

 ischium; merus emarginate distally, covering only part of epistome 

 and none of antennular cavities, reduced palp concealed beneath 

 merus. Dactyls of walking legs with four rows of spines. A medium- 

 sized species, maximum carapace length in midline about 45 mm. 



Color in life. — Carapace with large central area of black extend- 

 ing from front posteriorly and posterolaterally to posterior fifth with 

 pair of small white or cream spots along cervical groove between 

 branchial and protogastric regions, smaller pale pair in posterior por- 

 tion of mesogastric-protogastric groove, and conspicuous pair in 

 anterolateral portion of cardiac region. Small irregular cream area with 

 white center immediately posterior to lateral portion of each orbit; 

 anterolateral areas scarlet purple bearing red oblique lines, and fading 

 posteriorly along lateral area to scarlet and finally to orange; irregular 

 band of latter extending across posterior portion of carapace. 



Eyestalks reddish purple with black cornea. Third maxillipeds with 

 ischium bearing longitudinal obhque purple band; merus with large 

 purple central area surrounded by white or pinkish cream. 



Chelipeds mth pale, almost white proximal podomeres; merus pale 

 basaUy with light area dorsally becoming pale lavender distally, mesial 

 and lateral surfaces reddish purple with lower surface yellowish tan, 

 gradually becoming lavender distally; carpus reddish purple above 

 with anastamosing and branching hairlines of lighter red, lower sur- 

 face lavender to mauve; chela mauve along outer articulation and 

 dactylar area to distal fourth, proximal half of distal fourth cream, 

 distal half corneous brown. 



Proximal ])odonieres of walking legs white to cream; merus yellow- 

 ish tan becoming orange distally; carpus and propodus yellowish tan; 

 dactyl cream with corneous tip; merus through propodus with fine 

 lines of reddish purple. 



Sternum and abdomen white to cream. 



