468 Mr. E. J. Miers on Malaysian Crustacea. 



the coxal joints of the second to fifth legs are posteriorly 

 acute, but not produced beyond the postero-lateral angles 

 of the segments ; those of the sixth and seventh legs are 

 more elongated, and form distinct spines. The lateral pro- 

 longations of the second (first exposed) and third postabdo- 

 minal segments are elongated, laterally compressed, and acute ; 

 those of the fourth to sixth segments do not exceed half the 

 length of the preceding ; the terminal segment is large, flat, 

 with the sides straight and parallel, with its distal end rounded, 

 and with a longitudinal median raised line in the middle of 

 its upper surface. The eyes are placed close to the postero- 

 lateral angles of the head ; the anterior antennae are 8-jointed, 

 reach a little beyond the posterior margin of the head, with 

 the basal joint enlarged and subglobose ; the posterior antennae 

 also are about 8-jointed. The dactyli of the four anterior 

 thoracic legs are long and strongly curved ; the rami of the 

 uropoda unequal, the outer the longer and straight, the inner 

 with a distinct tooth on its inner margin and with the distal 

 extremity acute. Length about 1 inch. 



West Borneo (an adult female) . 



The absence of tergal spines, the form of the coxae and 

 of the rami of the uropoda suffice to distinguish this species 

 from its congeners. It is perhaps most nearly allied to 

 Nerocila aculeata, an Indian species described by Milne- 

 Edwards ; but in this species the postero-lateral angles of the 

 thoracic segments are produced into distinct spines. 



A specimen from the Malabar coast in the British-Museum 

 collection is allied to both N. aculeata and N. laevinota, but 

 apparently distinct from either. The length of the body 

 barely exceeds twice its greatest breadth. The postero-lateral 

 angles of the tergal portions of the fifth to seventh thoracic 

 segments are produced into small distinct spines, as in N. 

 aculeata ; the form of the lateral prolongations of the seg- 

 ments of the postabdomen and of the uropoda, however, is 

 nearly that of N. Icevinota. It is distinguished from both 

 species by the great development of the coxal spines of the 

 sixth and seventh legs, which are acuminate and nearly twice 

 as long as the segments themselves (see PI. XV. fig. 17). 

 This I will designate N. longispina. It is possible that a 

 large series would show intermediate gradations between the 

 three forms ; but, apart from such evidence, they must be re- 

 garded as distinct *. 



* Nerocila congener is a name applied by White, without description, 

 to a remarkable species of this genus in the Museum collection from the 

 Philippine Islands. It is distinguished by the form of the head, which 

 has the anterior margin broadly rounded and produced, so as almost 



