386 Records of the Indian Museum. [Vol. XVI, 



Macrophthalmus transvcrsus (lyatreille). 

 (Plate xxiv, fig. i.) 



191=5. Macroplithnlnius traiisversiis, Ifsch, Zool . Meded. Miis. I.cidoi, i, 

 p. 158, pi. V, hg. I {iihi /if.). 



This species is not mentioned by Alcock in his account of the 

 Indian species; it was, however, recorded from Pondicherry b}' 

 Milne-Edwards and has recently been found in great abundance by 

 Dr. F. H. Gravely on the coast of Orissa 



The specimens agree well with the excellent figures published 

 by Milne-Edwards in Cuvier's Regne Animal' and also, in most 

 respects, with Tesch's figures and detailed description. The eyes 

 are variable in length ; sometimes they reach beyond the tip of 

 the orbital tooth by only half the length of the cornea, sometimes 

 by fully twice its length. In none of the specimens I have seen 

 are they quite so long as shown in Tesch's figure. The differences 

 noted by Tesch in the granulation of the carapace are undoubtedly 

 sexual ; in females the greater part of the surface is smooth and 

 glossy, whereas in males it is closely covered with small granules. 



In his description of the male cheliped Tesch notes that the 

 lower surface of the palm is bordered by two parallel serrated 

 crests, but only one is visible in the specimens I have seen. The 

 palm as a whole (fig. i) is more slender than in the figure and the 

 fingers more strongly deflexed : when the claw is closed the dacty- 

 lus is at right angles to the main axis of the palm. Tesch remarks 

 that a part of the palm at the insertion of the movable finger 

 '' seems to be detached, so as to form a separate joint, but the 

 suture separating this part from the rest of the palm is not con- 

 tinued on the inner surface." I think the appearance of a separate 

 segment must be due to a partial fracture ; I can find nothing 

 resembling it in any of the specimens I have examined. The 

 dactylus differs from the description in bearing a large molar tooth 

 near the base*, directed sHghtly backwards, and another which is 

 much smaller in the distal third, fitting close behind the foremost 

 tooth on the fixed finger. Between these larger teeth there is a 

 series of denticles. 



The specimens are smaller than those seen by Tesch. In the 

 largest male the carapace is 9*4 mm. in length and 22 mm. in 

 breadth, the length of the chela being 15 mm. 



^"fo^^" Chandipur, near Balasore, Orissa. F. H. Gravely. .Many. 



M. transversus has been recorded from Massouah (Cano). 

 Pondicherry (Milne-Edwards) and Sumatra (de Man, Tesch). 



' PI. xvi, fiss. 2, 2a-d. 



' Obscurely shown on the left-hand chela in iVIilne-Edvvards' figure. 



