238 



pleura behind the 1st are fairly well developed and commonly have some con- 

 centric sculpture. Tail-fan large and symmetrical, the telson being particularly 

 broad and having some squamose sculpture. 



Eyes generally large and well pigmented. Antennular peduncles weak and 

 flexed, the flagella short, especially the lower one. 



Antennal peduncle 4-jointed, the distal angles of the 2nd (=2nd + 3rd) 

 joint spiniform : the flagellurn long. 



Mandible with 3-jointed incurved palp, and with the narrow molar process 

 well separated from the trenchant (non-serrate) incisor process. Maxillae with 

 the coxa and basis well developed : the 1st maxilla with a short palp, the 2nd 

 maxilla with the coxa and basis deeply cleft transversely and with a broad 

 posteriorly-acute scaphognathite. 



The exopodites of all three pairs of maxillipeds end in a flagellum, that of 

 the 1st maxillipeds being short. 



The 1st maxillipeds have a foliaceous angular epipodite which is directed 

 forwards or outwards, and the external maxillipeds have a slender epipodite, but 

 there are no epipodites on the legs. 



The chelipeds and next three pairs of legs are long and slender, the cheli- 

 peds being longer and more massive than the legs. The last pair of legs, which 

 are weak and are minutely chelate, are folded. 



In the male paired appendages, modified for copulation, are present on the 

 2nd abdominal somite and usually on the 1st also, and small foliaceous paired 

 appendages (which may be rudimentary) are present on somites 3-5. In the 

 female slender paired appendages are present on somites 2-5. 



The branchias, which are phyllobranchiee, are 14 on either side, namely 

 5 pairs of arthrobranchiee (somites IX-XIII) and 4 pleurobranchiae (somites 

 XI-XIV). 



The eggs are small and rather numerous. 



Key to the Indian species of Munida. 



I. None of the abdominal terga are armed with spines. The posterior 

 border of the carapace is smooth. The eyes are not dilated. The 1st 

 abdominal somite of the male carries a pair of appendages ... M. comorina. 



II. The 2nd abdominal tergum only has a row of spines on its anterior 

 border. Posterior border of carapace smooth. Male with a pair of 

 appendages on the 1st abdominal somite : 



1. Eyes small, not wider than their stalks : 



i. The chelipeds of the male are not more than twice the 



length of the body ... ... ... M. micropi. 





