SUR-FOPSII, CRDSTACKANS ETHKRIfxiE AM) McCUM.OCH. / 



V. — Dkscription ()K the Species. 



Faniilv THAI.ASSINID^. 



Genns Thalassina, Littreille. 



Thalasrina AN'dMALA, Herhst. 



(Plate i., Hgs. 1-8). 



Thalassina audimila (Hei'bst), Ortmaiin. Zool. Jahrb., vi., 

 1S92, ]). 52 (syiioiiyin\ ). 



Thalassina fimerii, Bell, Quart. Journ. Geol. 8oc.. i., 1S45, 

 p. 93, figure. Id., P^theridge, Geol. Pal. Q'laud., etc., 1892, 

 p. 639, pi. 36, fig. 6. 



Thalassina. atitiqua. Bell, Aim. Nat. Hist., xiv., 1844', p. 455 



(^noiiiPii iiudidii). 



Thalassina )na,viin(i, Hess, Arch. Nat., xxxi., 1865, p. 37, pi. 7. 

 fig- 18. 



A large number of fragments, in a more or less perfect state 

 of [)reservation, agree in detail with recent specimens of 

 '/'. inmiiiala, and indicate that 7'. etnerii, which was described 

 from a fossil similar to ours, is synonymous with that species. 

 Bell noted that his specimen scaicely differed from a recent 

 example, but relied uj)on the development of the epimeral por- 

 tions of the abdominal segments, and of the terminal joint to 

 distinguish T. enierii. These characters are variable in a sei'ies 

 of 7'. aitotnala, however, they being pi-oportionately largei' in the 

 adult than in the young. The development of the tubercles and 

 spines on the carapace also increases with acje. 



This Crustacean is a tropical species, living in large burrows 

 in the mud of mangrove swamps. According to Hess, the 

 specimen on which his T. itia,vinia was based, came fi'om Sj'dnev, 

 but the species is not known to occur south of Queenslaiul. 



Lors. — Golden Slnji'e, Curtis Island, and Casuarina Island. 

 Fitzroy River, Queensland (Austr. Mus. — h'. L. Jack) ; Beach 

 deposit at Townsville, North-east Queensland (Austr. Mus. — 

 R. L. Jack) ; Darwin, North Australia (QMaiid Mus.) ; Coast 

 westof Darwin (Austr. Mus. — //. W. Christie and F. L. Godfreij): 

 Anson Bay, North Australia (Austr. Mus. — H. Y. L. Brown and 

 W. 'T. Watkln Brown); Daly Rivej-, Anson Bay (Q'land Mus.); 

 Derby, Fitzioy River, Kimberley, North-west Australia (Geol. 

 Survey W. Austr. — IF. D. ('anipbeU). 



