Decapod Crustacea of Bermuda, Part II. 67 



chela defined proximally by an impressed oblique line; a small black 

 spine on the distal angle .of the penultimate joint of the uropods. 



fiinnosus. 



f f. Rostrum and orbital spines more or less nearly equal ; eyes concealed ; 

 basal spines of the antennae and antennules usually well developed, often 

 elongated. Palm of the larger chela swollen, nearly smooth. Legs 

 without epipods; third to fifth legs biunguiculate. Genus Synalpheus. 



D, D. Chela with a longitudinal groove on one or both sides. 



g. Chela with a longitudinal groove on both sides; orbital lobe rounded, 

 with no marginal tooth ; a short basal antennal spine. 



A. floridanus Kingsley.* 



Miss M. J. Rathbun (op. cit, 1904, p. 170) has called attention 

 to the fact that Weber, in 1795, in an obscure tract, used the name 

 Crangon for this genus. She proposed to adopt it in that sense, 

 using Crago Fabr., 1798, for the genus usually called Crangon. 

 The name Alpheus, when first used by Weber, included the crabs 

 now called Cancer (sens, restr.). A few writers have followed 

 her determinations using Crangon for the present genus Alpheus 

 but these changes do not appear to me either necessary or wise. 

 Weber's genera were not characterized, and the names were given 

 as examples of genera that were about to be published by Fabricius, 

 and the species cited could hardly be called types. He did not claim 

 them as his own, nor did Fabricius in his later work recognize all 

 of them, nor refer to Weber's paper. The use of Crangonidcc 

 as the name of the family is not advisable, for it is preoccupied 

 and has long been in general use for a different family. There- 

 fore I propose to substitute Synalpheidae for the family name, 

 owing to the diversity of usage as to Alpheus. If Weber's names 

 are to be considered valid, Alpheus was preoccupied by him, and 

 becomes a synonym of Cancer. 



Coutiere (1899) divided this genus into five large groups (op. 

 cit., pp. 351, 352), viz. : i, Megacheles group; 2, Macrochirus; 3, 

 Crinltus; 4, Brcvirostris ; 5, Edwardsii group. These names 

 were taken from that of a typical species of each group, but were 

 not intended as of generic nor of subgeneric value. 



Most of these groups have already had old generic names given 

 to one or more of the species. Such generic names could become 

 valid if the genus should be subdivided into several genera, as may 

 be done hereafter. 



* Not recorded from Bermuda. 



