92 



Chelipeds unequal in both sexes, most so in old males. The lower edges 

 of the merus are smoothly beaded or bluntly crenulate, the upper border and 

 outer surface are finely rugulose. The upper and outer sui'faces of the carpus 

 are pitted and obscurely reticulated with half-eflFaced, squamiform, or rugulose 

 markings. The tooth at the inner angle of the carpus is coarse but often small. 

 The sm-face of the palm and fingers is abundantly pitted, the palm being, other- 

 wise, sometimes almost smooth, but generally roughened with obscure reticular 

 markings. The fingers are very strong, and are broad, compressed, fairly 

 evenly toothed, and longer than the palm. 



The chelipeds, indeed, are very variable, especially the larger chelae ; in 

 the young the larger chelae are not immoderately enlarged, and the fingers are 

 stout and little arched, and do not gape when closed ; in the adult female and 

 in ordinary males the dactylus of the larger chelae is quite moderately arched, 

 and the fingers gape a little at base when closed ; in some old males the hand 

 of the larger cheliped becomes enormously magnified, and the dactylus is so 

 strongly arched that it meets the fixed finger only at tip. 



Legs stout, shorter than the chelipeds ; the longer propodites are about 

 twice as long as broad, and are a good deal shorter than their dactyli. 



This species grows to a considerable size, a carapace of 2 inches diameter 

 being not uncommon. 



Paratelphusa higubris seems to be a more than ordinary variable species, 

 and in justification for the course I have taken (after much laborious pre- 

 liminary work) in describing so many forms as varieties of it, i will here specify 

 the more noteworthy variations that can be detected in adult individuals of the 

 same Hex collected at the same time and in the same place : — 



(1) Males. ^ — Length of carapace varies from 70 per cent, of breadth to 

 75 per cent, of breadth. 



Cervical groove in the same individual may run up to the epibranchial 

 tooth on one side, and to the edge of the carapace well behind the epibranchial 

 tooth on the other side. 



Width of front varies from 25 per cent, of breadth of carapace to 28 '5 per 

 cent, of breadth of carapace (adults). 



Epigastric crest may be continuous with post-orbital crest on one side, 

 and discontinuous on the other side, in the same individual. 



(2) Females. — Length of carapace varies from 72"5 per cent, of breadth to 

 75 per cent, of breadth. 



Cervical groove may run on to the epibranchial tooth or to a point 

 behind it. 



Width of front varies from 242 per cent, of breadth of carapace to 25"8 

 per cent, of breadth of carapace [adults). 



Epigastric crests may be clearly continuous with the post-orbital crests 

 or not. 



