( 18 ) 

 I. Chiroplat^a Macgilchristi. Plate I, fig. 3. 



Closely resembles C. cenobita, Spence Bate, from the Banda Sea, differing principally in the 

 sculpture of the opercular facet of the chelipeds and in the form of the telson. 



The form of the body (carapace and abdomen) repeats that of Pylocheles 

 tniersii the only obvious difference being that in the present species the 

 antennal angles of the carapace are more prominent and acute, and that the 

 ophthalmic somite is thus better concealed. 



Eyestalks much less than half the length of the anterior border of the 

 carapace, tapering from a somewhat swollen base, their mobility somewhat 

 limited. Ophthalmic scales absent, the basal joint of the eyestalk being 

 concealed. Eyes devoid of facets and of proper pigment, only distinguishable 

 from the eyestalks (in spirit specimens) by their smoother surface and more 

 milky-yellow colour. 



Antennular peduncles longer than the carapace ; the upper flagellum 

 more than half the length of the carapace. 



The antennal peduncles reach to about the middle of the 2nd joint of the 

 antennular peduncles : the spiniform prolongation of the and joint, and the 

 acicle, are serrated, the latter reaching well beyond the base of the terminal 

 joint : the flagellum is nude and half again as long as the carapace. 



The chelipeds are perfectly equal, about i§rd times the length of the 

 carapace, operculiform, and in general form resemble those of Pylocheles 

 tniersii. The overhanging anterior crest of the wrist is bilobed, with the apex 

 of each lobe capped by a patch of bead-like granules, and the edge plumose 

 and finely crenulate. The edges of the hand and fingers are plumose. The 

 opercular facet of the hand is flat, or slightly concave : it has some setose 

 bead-like granules at its base and along its inner border, and is longitudi- 

 nally traversed by a slightly-curved granulous crest, stopping at the finger- 

 cleft : the fingers are not much more than half the length of the palm, and 

 meet at tip only. 



The and and 3rd pairs of legs surpass the chelipeds : they are smooth, 

 and their setose dactylus is very little longer than the propodite. 



The 4th pair of legs are hardly subchelate, and the 5th pair are chelate : 

 the 5th pair has the usual pavement of imbricating granules on the outer 

 surface of the propodite ; but in the 4th pair this is represented by a narrow 

 band of spinules on the lower border of the propodite. 



The distal moiety of the telson is much longer than the proximal moiety, 

 and is expanded distally. 



The length of the body of an egg-laden female is 36 millim., the carapace 

 occupying 12 millim. An apparently adult male is much smaller. 



