Car cinological Fauna of India. 237 



In the female all the segments of the abdomen except the last 

 appear to be fused together, although the first and second can be 

 recognized. 



The carapace of an apparently adult female is 7 millim. long, and 

 65 millim. in greatest breadth. 



A single female occurs in the collection of the Indian Museum — 

 from Palk Straits. 



Philyra, Leach. 



Philyra, Leach, Zool. Miscell. III. p. 18. 

 Philyra, Milne Edwards, Hist. Nat. Crust. II. 131. 



Philyra, Bell, Traus. Linn. Soc, Vol. XXI. 1855, p. 299, and Cat. Leucos. Brit. 

 Mus. p. 13. 



Philyra, Miers, ' Challenger ' Brachyura, p. 320. 



Philyra can be at once distinguished from Leucosia by the absence of a thoracic 

 sinus, and from Pseudophilyra by the fact that the front is broad and either not all 

 produced to form a Leucosia-Uke snout, or if so produced (as it is, to some extent 

 in Philyra platychira) then the side-wall of either hepatic region forms an indepen- 

 dent marginal facet. 



Carapace usually circular and somewhat depressed, with the epis- 

 tome projecting beyond the broad front ; the dorsal surface of the 

 carapace is generally bounded by a continuous beaded line ; the hepatic 

 and branchial regions usually fairly well defined by grooves or creases. 



Buccal orifice transversely oblong, with the anterior angles broadly 

 rounded : the exognath broadly dilated, usually foliaceous, the outer 

 and anterior borders forming parts of one wide curve : the merus of 

 the endognath narrowly and acutely triangular, the length of its inner 

 border being not less, or not much less, than that of the inner border 

 of the broad ischium. 



Orbits small and sunken, with two sutures in the upper and outer 

 wall, and a hiatus at the inner angle, where the minute antennal 

 flagellum stands. The antennules fold transversely. 



Chelipeds symmetrical and, relatively to the legs, very massive • 



longer in the male — about twice the length of the carapace than in 



the female : true legs small. 



The abdomen of the male consists of 3 or 4 pieces, that of the female 

 of 4. 



242 



