Cdrcwological Fauna of India. 191 



33. Nxcia pfefferi, (de Man). 



Ebalia pfefferi, do Man, Arcliiv. fur Naturges. LIIT. 1837, i. p. 390, pi. xvii. 

 fig. 4 : Henderson, Trans. Linn. Soc, Zool., (2) V. 1893, p. 402. 



As there seems to be some doubt whether this species is really 

 distinct from Nucia speciosa, Dana, U. S. Expl. Exp. Crust, pt. I. p. 397, 

 pi. xxv, fig. 5a I must here be content to give only the references. It 

 is included in the Indian fauna on the authority of Dr. J. R. Henderson. 



Eandallia, Stimpson. 



Randallia, Stimpson, Journal Boston Soc. Nafc. Hist. Vol. VI. 1857, p. 471. 

 Bandallia, Miers, 'Challenger' Brachyura, p. 316. 



Carapace circular and convex, almost globular; with the front 

 narrow, usually broadly bidentate, and somewhat sunk behind the level 

 of the front edge of the buccal cavern. The subhepatic or pterygo- 

 stomian regions are convex and puffed out, so as to increase the squat 

 and sunken appearance of the front. There is a remarkably broad 

 vertical interval between the orbits and the edge of the buccal cavern. 



The surface of the carapace is, typically, covered with vesicular 

 or pustulous granules, but these are sometimes visible only with a lens : 

 the regions are usually, but not always, distinctly demarcated by 

 grooves. 



The posterior margin is generally, but not always, armed with 

 spines or petaloid lobules or tubercles. 



The orbits are almost as imperfect as they are in Parilia : their 

 upper edge is deeply emarginate, there is a wide gap at the inner 

 canthus, and there are three very distinct sutures, or sometimes actual 

 fissures, in the upper-outer wall. 



The antennules fold ohliquely : in one Indian species their basal 

 joint forms a close-fitting operculum to the antennulary fossa. The 

 antenna? are very distinct, and are loosely lodged in the inner canthus 

 of the orbits. 



The buccal cavern is triangular and somewhat elongate : the exo- 

 gnath is not dilated and its outer margin is almost straight : the tri- 

 angular merus of the endoguath is about § the length of the ischium 

 measured along its inner edge. 



Chelipeds either massive or moderately stout, of moderate length ; 

 fingers stout, about as long as the hand, which is not more — but is 

 usually much less — than half the length of the carapace. 



Although there is, as usual, some fusion among 'the abdominal 

 fcerga, yet the sutures are never wholly obliterated as they are in most 

 other Leucosines. 



196 



