216 COLLECTIONS FROM MELANESIA. 



48. Chlorodopsis granulatus. (Plate XXI. fig. A.) 



? Pilodius granulatus, Stimpson, Proc. Acad. Nat. Set. Philacl. p. 34 



(1858). 



In this little species, which has never been figured, and is only 

 known by Stimpson's brief diagnosis, the carapace is transverse, 

 rather depressed, and very distinctly lobulated on its upper surface; 

 the lobules or areolets granulated, covered with a close velvety 

 pubescence, and separated one from another b}' naked interspaces ; 

 the antero-lateral margins have four distinct spiniform teeth, near 

 to which are one or two minute spinules or granules, there being no 

 tooth or spine at the outer orbital angle ; the front is rather broad, 

 projects but little, and is divided by a median incision into two 

 rounded lobes, which are separated by a wider sinus from the outer 

 frontal angles, which are in contact with the basal antennal joints ; 

 the orbital margins are entire. The male postabdomen is 5- or 6- 

 jointed, two or three of the intermediate joints being coalescent. 

 The basal antennal joint is robust, and its outer and distal angle 

 enters the inner orbital hiatus, from which the flagellum is just 

 excluded ; the merus-joint of the outer maxillipedes is truncated at 

 its distal end. Chelipedes moderately robust ; merus or arm short, 

 trigonous and unarmed ; wrist and palm covered externally with 

 small granules, wrist with one or sometimes two acute teeth on its 

 inner margin ; fingers as long or nearly as long as the palm, the 

 mobile finger with two longitudinal series of acute granules on its 

 upper margin ; the fingers are regularly denticulated on their 

 inner margins, and have between them scarcely any interspace when 

 closed. The ambulatory legs are compressed, without spinules, but 

 have a series of minute denticules on the upper margins of the 

 merus-joints only. Colour (in spirit) light yellowish brown, fingers 

 a much deeper brown ; this coloration extends also over a great 

 part of the inner and outer surfaces of the palm. The areolets of 

 the carapace, pterygostomian regions, and legs are pubescent ; the 

 ambulatory legs clothed on their margins with longer hairs. Length 

 of the largest male rather over 4 lines (9 millim.), greatest breadth 

 6 lines (nearly 13 millim.). 



A specimen is in the collection from Port Denison, 4 fms. (Xo. Ill), 

 and four were collected on the beach at Port Molle (Xos. 95, 103). 

 Stimpson's specimens were from Hong Kong. 



In another male from Port Molle (No. 103) the carapace is nearly 

 naked and the fingers black ; this coloration forming also a broad 

 black cincture covering the greater part of the inner and outer 

 surface of the palms. 



In a male in the second collection, obtained on the beach at Port 

 Darwin (Xo. 176), which is probably no more than a variety of this 

 species, the fingers are pinkish and scarcely differ in coloration 

 from the rest of the palm, and have between them (when closed) a 

 wider hiatus ; the palm also is slenderer than in the other males I 

 have examined. (See fig. «'.) 



Chlorodopsis granulatus is evidently very nearly allied to G. me- 



