282 Records of the Indian Museum. [Vor Vs 
The whole surface of the body is conspicuously punctate, but 
this characteristic is less marked on the carapace. 
The colours of fresh specimens are as follows :—Deep peacock 
blue on the large chelipedes, passing into green on the palm and 
fingers; this coloration is absent from the coxal and basal joints, 
and is deeper on the upper than on the under surface. The 
ambulatory legs are pale blue; the spines on the legs are deep 
blue at the base, and orange towards the apex. The body is 
flesh-coloured ; the abdominal segments have deep blue transverse 
bands, which are broadest on the fourth, fifth and sixth segments. 
Characters of females.—The rostrum is more strongly upturned 
distally, and is somewhat less deep than in adult males. 
The large chelipedes are more than half the length of the 
body ; they are beset with feebly developed spines, those on the 
ischium and fingers being the weakest, while there are none on 
the mobile finger. The palm is slightly compressed dorso- 
ventrally, and is about the width of the distal end of the carpus. 
The mobile finger is stouter than the immobile, but not to the 
same extent as in males, nor is it so densely pubescent. When 
the fingers are closed, the distal tooth of the immobile finger lies 
midway between the two teeth on the mobile finger. 
The following measurements show the length of the joints of 
the large chelipedes in an adult female (dried) measuring 232 mm. 
in total length :— 
ie Sh MIM 82 Chase pesae hem. 
Characters of young individuals.—In specimens under 200 mm. 
in total length the rostrum closely resembles that of the adult 
female. 
In an individual measuring 139 mm. in total length, the 
joint measurements are as follows :— 
Lela. ein TOC 20s ep. 7 cet em ACge 
With advancing age the coloration of the body deepens, the 
mobile finger becomes much stouter than the immobile, the pubes- 
cence appears on the former, and the punctation on the body 
becomes more pronounced. 
This species is the largest, and one of the best known mem- 
bers of the genus. It has been recorded from many localities in 
the Indo-Malayan region, from India to New Guinea, and has 
been so often and so fully described that a fuller description than 
that given above is unnecessary. 
Localities.—From many localities in the Malabar District, 
Cochin State, Travancore State; Godaveri District (Rajahmundry 
and Cocanada); Chingleput District (Red Hills and other localities 
near Madras). We have obtained adult males and females from 
the back-waters of the Cochin State near Ernakulam, a fact 
which is of some importance since the genus Palaemon is chiefly 
met with in fresh water. 
