ohtainc'd in the Indiiin Seas. 2 15 



Fain. Galatheidae. 

 MuNiDOPSis, "Whitcavcs, Faxon. 



Munidopsis dasypus, Alcock. 



Munidopsis dasi/pua, Alcock, Ann. & Mao^. Nat. Hist., April 1804, 

 p. 3i'9; Alcoclc, Descr. Cat. Ind. r)ee])-sea Crust., Macr. and Auoiii. 

 1901, p. 252 ; Illus. Zool. Invest, pi. xiii. fig. 9, 



Although numerous adult female specimens of tliis species 

 liave been caught in past years, tlie males have hitherto been 

 representcfl by only t^o small A^oung specimens. This 

 season^ at Sta. 331, east of Andamans, 569 fathoms, two 

 adult males were obtained ; the extreme length of body of 

 the larger male is 55 mm., and the length of chelipeds is 

 69 mm. 



The chelipeds of the male are (right and left approxi- 

 mately equally) enlarged in all joints and in all dimensions 

 when compared with those of the female. The palms are 

 much broadened and the fingers when closed leave at their 

 base a fairly wide hiatus, into which a 3- or 4-cusped tooth 

 projects from the mobile finger. 



The extreme length of body of the larger male caught 

 prior to this season was 28 mm., and its chelipeds were 

 slender throughout, like those of the female, and without a 

 hiatus at the base of the fingers. 



There seem to be considerable and fairly frequent varia- 

 tions from the typical (and much the commonest number) 

 4 spines on the posterior border of the carapace. Variations 

 found are 2, 3, 5, and 7. 



A figure of the male will appear in " Illustrations of the 

 Zoology of R.I. M.S. ' Investigator.' '' 



Munidopsis Wardeni, Anderson, var. andamanica. 



Munidopsis Wardeiti, Anderson, J. A. S. B. to1.1.x;v. pt. 2, 189G, p. 99 ; 

 Alcock, De>c. Cat. lud. Deep-sea Crust., Macr. and Anom. 1901, 

 p. 257; Ilhis. Zool. Invest., Crust, pi. Iv. fig. 1. 



As mentioned by Alcock in his Descriptive Catalogue of 

 Anomura, there are in the Indian Museum two small 

 specimens of M. Wardeni dredged off the Andamans in 

 500 fathoms, and in these the abdominal terga have no 

 spines. This season two similar but larger specimens (one 

 an egg-laden adult female) were trawled at Sta. 331, east of 

 the Andamans, in 569 fathoms, so that there would seem to 

 be a distinct variety of species IVardcni in that locality. 



