200 U.S. NATIONAL MUSEUM BULLETIN 292 



Gecarcinus laUralis construct shallow burrows, mostly less than 2 

 feet, many no more than 1 foot, in depth. Here, some 10 feet above 

 the flat land where Cardisoma guanhumi is so abundant, these juvenile 

 crabs dig into the talus slope, usually under the shelter of the larger 

 stones. Of the 23 specimens dug from their burrows in this locality, 

 17 were G. lateralis and 6 were young Cardisoma guanhumi. No young 

 individuals of G. ruricola were found there, but two evenings later 

 a male of this species was found crawling in precisely the same area. 

 A single juvenile female crab (cl 9 mm), possibly G. rtiricola, was 

 dug from a shallow burrow in the coconut grove some 200 yards 

 from the foot of Tarou Cliffs. 



Distribution. — Bermudas and southern Florida to French Guiana 

 (Bermudas, Green Turtle Cay, Great Abaco I., Andros I., Green 

 Cay, Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola, Isla Mona, Puerto Rico, Saint 

 Thomas, Saint Croix, Montserrat, Guadeloupe, Dominica, Saint 

 Lucia I., Barbados, La Orchila, Islas Los Roques, Bonaire, Curasao, 

 Aruba, Swan Is.). 



Dominica Stations: 6, 50, 97, 98, 116 (0-350 ft.). 



Remarks. — In females from Dominica, the abdomen attains about 

 half of its maximum Avidth at a carapace length of slightly more than 

 15 mm and is fully formed at about 25 mm. 



82. Gecarcinus ruricola (Linnaeus) 



Figures 66, Q7h-j 



Cancer ruricola Linnaeus, 1758, p. 626 [type-locality: America]. 



Ocypode tourlourou Latreille, 1802, p. 36 [type-locality: Dominican Republic]. 



Gecarcinus ruricola. — Leach, 1815, p. 322. — Pocock, 1889, p. 7. — ^\'^errill, 1892, 



p. 353.— Rathbun, 1918, p. 352, pis. 117, 118. 

 Ocypoda rubra Freminville, 1835, p. 22 [type-locality: Antilles]. 

 Gecarcinus agricola Reichenbach, 1836, p. 230. 

 Geocarcinus ruricola. — V61ez, 1967, p. 44. 



Diagnosis. — Fronto-orbital distance not more than two-fifths of 

 maximum carapace width in adults. Third maxillipeds \^dth exopod 

 hidden beneath ischium; merus rounded distaUy, covering epistome 

 and most of antennular cavities, margin entire, ^^'ithout distinct 

 emargination or notch; reduced palp concealed beneath merus. 

 Dactyls of walking legs with six rows of spines. A large species, 

 maximum carapace length in midline about 70 mm. 



Color in life. — Dorsal surface of carapace rich purple with 

 reddish overtones. Pair of conspicuous pale bluish-gray spots postero- 

 laterally with poorly delimited greenish-orange area lateral and 

 somewhat anterolateral to bluish-gray spots. Posterior and postero- 

 lateral ridges of carapace reddish orange. Lower anterior and lateral 

 portions of carapace pale blue intensifying dorsaUy to purple. Promi- 



