308 COLLECTIONS FROM MELANESIA. 



10. Cilicsea latreillei. 



Cilicfea latreillei, Leach, Diet. Sci. Nat. xii. p. 342 (1818) ; Desmarest, 



Consid. Crust, p. 296, pi. xlviii. fig. 3 (1825). 

 Nsesea bidentata, Guerin, Icon. Crust. Rec/ne Animal, Atlas, pi. xxx. 



fig. 2 (1829-44). 

 Sphseroma pubesceiis, M.-Edwards, Hist. Nat. Crust, iii. p. 209 



(1840), $ F 

 Ntesea latreillei, M.-Edwards, Hist. Nat. Crust, iii. p. 218 (1840). 

 Cyrnodocea pubescens, Haswell, Proc. Linn. Soc. N S. Wales, v. 

 "p. 473, pi. xvii. fig. 1 (1881) ; Cat. Austr. Crust, p. 290 (1882). 



The following is a description of the principal distinctive charac- 

 ters of this species, taken from male examples bearing Leach's label 

 in the British-Museum collection : — 



The segments of the body and nropoda are covered with a very 

 short stiff pubescence. The head is transverse ; the eyes are borne 

 on the rounded postero-lateral lobes, which are encased in notches 

 in the anterior margin of the first thoracic segment ; the median 

 frontal lobe is subacute and projects between the bases of the 

 antennules. The first thoracic segment is slightly longer than the 

 following ; its antero-lateral processes are acute ; the postero-lateral 

 rather blunt, with the posterior margins slightly hollowed out ; the 

 second thoracic segment is rounded, but narrowed on the sides ; the 

 third and fourth subacute, the fifth less acute, and the sixth and 

 seventh broader and rounded or subtruncated. The dorsal process 

 of the penultimate postabdominal segment is simple, straight, its 

 apex scarcely acute ; it does not project far beyond the distal end 

 of the terminal segment, which is rather more distinctly granulated 

 and has on its upper surface two prominences, situated one on each 

 side of the dorsal process ef the penultimate segment ; the notch in 

 the middle of the posterior margin is rather deep and as broad as 

 deep, and is divided by a median subtriangulate lobe. The basal 

 joint of the antennules is considerably dilated, longer than broad, 

 and is slightly excavated at its distal extremity, where it is arti- 

 culated with the next joint. The ambulatory legs are slender ; and 

 the dactyli are armed below with a small accessory claw. The inner 

 ramus of the uropoda is represented by a blunt lobe or process of the 

 base ; the outer ramus is straight, not greatly longer than the base, 

 and usually bears a small tooth on its outer margin. Length 5 lines 

 (nearly 11 millim.). 



The female scarcely differs, except in wanting the posterior dorsal 

 process of the penultimate postabdominal segment, and in the sub- 

 equal rami of the uropoda, the inner or immobile ramus being more 

 developed, and the outer shorter in the adult, usually more acute at 

 its distal extremity, and bearing, as in the male, a tooth on the 

 outer margin. It presents all the appearance of a Cipnodocea. 



I have scarcely any doubt that the Cyrnodocea (or Splweromn^ 

 pubescens of Milne-Edwards and Haswell are the female of this 

 species. All the specimens in the considerable series before me, 

 with the dorsal process of the postabdomen and rudimentary 



