Mesanthura 45 



Malacanthura caribbica Paul and Menzies, 1971 

 Figure 17 



DIAGNOSIS 9 27.1 mm. Integument moderately indurate. Antennular 

 flagellum of seven articles. Antennal flagellum of four articles. Mandibular 

 palp, article 3 with comb of 1 1 spines. Maxillipedal palp, terminal article 

 broadly ovate, penultimate article with row of seven spines on mesial margin. 

 Pereopod 1 propodus expanded, palm straight, with few spines on mesial 

 margin. Uropodal exopod barely reaching base of endopod, narrow, apically 

 acute, outer margin sinuate, serrate; endopod set obliquely on sympod, mar- 

 gin serrate, apically acute. Telson lanceolate, apically narrowly rounded, 

 with strong longitudinal middorsal carina. 



RECORDS Off Venezuela, 95 m; off Colombia, 42-44 m. 



REMARKS Malacanthura cumanensis Paul and Menzies, 1971, described from 

 the same locality as M. caribbica, was shown to be the latter species (Kensley, 

 1980). 



Mesanthura Barnard, 1914 



DIAGNOSIS 9 : Dorsal integument with (usually) species-specific pigment 

 pattern; pigment persistent in alcohol. Mandibular palp of three articles, 

 terminal article with row of spines, number of which specific for species. 

 Maxilliped with endite either very reduced or absent; palp of three articles, 

 with terminal article usually about half length of penultimate article, suture 

 transverse. Pereopod 1, propodus expanded, palm often with step. Pereopods 

 2 and 3, propodi not expanded. Pereopods 4-7, carpi roughly triangular, 

 with anterior margin shorter than posterior margin. Pleonites 1—5 fused, 

 pleonite 6 dorsally demarked. Pleopod 1, exopod operculiform. Telson with 

 two basal statocysts. 6: Eyes larger than in 9. Antennular flagellum of sel- 

 dom more than 10 articles bearing numerous aesthetascs. Mouthparts, espe- 

 cially body of mandible, reduced. Pereopod 1, propodus bearing dense band 

 of spines on mesial surface near palm. Pigment pattern more diffuse than in 

 9 , extending onto ventral surface. 



REMARKS Mesanthura is a relatively large genus of about 30 species, re- 

 corded from most tropical and temperate seas, in shallow habitats. The 

 males of few species have been recorded; by themselves, males are difficult to 

 identify as the dorsal pigment pattern characteristic of the female breaks 

 down and spreads onto the ventrum. 



