DECAPOD CRUSTACEANS OF THE WEST INDIES 



201 



nent purple splotch in blue pterygostomian region. Orbit cream in 

 area hidden by retracted eye; lower portion of orbit pale orange, 

 blending tlu"ough open area with scarlet; outer orbital tooth orange 

 yellow. 



Dorsal and anterior portions of eyestalk purple; posterior and 

 ventral portions lavender to cream; cornea black. 



Tliird maxillipeds yellow at base becoming tan toward distal 

 margin of ischium and reddish purple mesiodistally, with distolateral 

 area purple; merus reddish pm'ple proximomesially, otherwise purple. 



Cheliped with coxa, basis and proximal portion of ischium blue 

 with yellow and orange areas; distal portion of ischium purple; 



Figure 66. — Gecarcinus ruricola, male (carapace length 67.0 mm) from Dominica station 6. 



merus lavender below and with distally tapering yellow stripe above, 

 remainder of podomere purple; carpus dark purple above, reddish 

 purple below; chela purple proximally merging with yellow to form 

 purplish-tan palm; fingers tan to yellow with cream tubercles. 



Remaining pereiopods light orange to yellow basally with merus 

 yellowish orange proximally and distally but largely purple; carpus 

 dark purple with yello\\ash-orange band distally; propodus purplish 

 red; dactyl orange with reddish-purple ridges; flexor surfaces of 

 podomeres paler shades of colors on extensor surface. Spines (spurs) 

 purple at base wath narrow red band followed by broader yellow one; 

 tips corneous. 



Sternum cream with corneous orange laterally and blue suffusion 

 mesially; abdomen bluish lavender with hregular purplish markings. 



