Genus—ASELLUS. {Geoffray.) 



Generic character. Flagella of all the antennae multiarti- 

 culate, lower pair more than half the length of the body ; eyes 

 round and lateral ; pereiopoda uniunguiculate ; pleon with two 

 long and exserted bifid appendages. 



The species of this genus have the body oblong, rather 

 narrowed towards the head, with eight rather deep lateral 

 incisions between the various segments of the body, 

 which are depressed and slightly irregular on the upper 

 surface, the sides being furnished with strong, irregular 

 lengthened spines. The head is transverse, scarcely nar- 

 rower than the body, the fore margin nearly straight, the 

 eyes small, round, and quite lateral. The upper antennse 

 about twice the length of the head, and very slender ; 

 the lower antennae more than half the length of the 

 animal, cylindrical, all the antennse having a multiarti- 

 culate flagellum, which is very long in the lower pair. 

 The segments of the body are nearly of equal size, each 

 being marked with an impressed transverse line near the 

 base. The fore pair of legs are rather short, robust 

 (especially in the males), and terminated by a subcheli- 

 ferous hand, with apical hook-like finger ; the three fol- 

 lowing pairs of legs are longer, much more slender, and 

 simply ambulatory ; and the three hind pairs of legs are 

 gradually longer, all being terminated by a simple acute 

 and curved finger. The tail consists of a large shield- 

 like joint, with indications of two very short joints at 



