DEC A POD A. 



BRACHYURA. 



PORTUNIDJE. 



GENUS PORTUNUS, LEACH. 



CANCER, Linn. Penn. Herbst. 



PORTUNUS, Fabr. Latr. Leach, Edwards. 



Generic Character. External antennce placed in the] inner 

 canthus of the eyes, separating the orbits from the antennary 

 fossse, which are open in front. External pedipalps with the 

 third joint quadrate, and either truncate at the inner and ante- 

 rior angle, or notched at the inner margin, for the articulation 

 of the palp. Anterior pair of legs generally somewhat unequal, 

 and the wrist armed with a strong spine at the superior and 

 interior angle ; hands slightly incurved, marked with elevated 

 lines. The second, third, and fourth pairs of legs, with the last 

 joint long, styliform, slightly curved, and longitudinally grooved ; 

 fifth pair formed for swimming, the last and penultimate joint, 

 being very flat, broad, and rounded. Carapace, rather broader than 

 long ; the latero-anterior margin four or five toothed, flattened, 

 and thin ; the front, horizontal, projecting. Orbits, above with 

 two beneath towards the outer angle, with one fissure. Eyes, 

 with a short peduncle. Abdomen, in the male, five-jointed, trian- 

 gular ; in the female, seven -jointed. 



The Crabs of this genus are capable of swimming with 

 great ease, as the thin, expanded, fin-like form of the pos- 

 terior feet would indicate. They are commonly termed 

 by the fishermen, swimming and flying Crab ; and, from 

 the peculiar motion of their hinder feet, fiddlers. Pen- 

 nant gives the name of cleanser Crab to one species, and 

 the specific name depurator, given by Linnaeus to a species 



