14 Mr. T. W. Kirk on a new Species of Palinurus. 



III. — Description of a new Species of Palinurus. By T. W. 

 Kikk, Assistant in the Colonial Museum, Wellington, 

 N. Z. 



The specimen described in this paper was obtained by Mr. J. 

 Buchanan, F.L.S.,in December 1877, at Whanigaroa, a small 

 harbour on the west coast of the North Island of New Zealand. 

 Six specimens were captured, but only one preserved ; this 

 was placed in the Colonial Museum, and, until lately, bore the 

 label " Palinurus Hugelii, var. tumidus" in the handwriting 

 of Dr. Hector, by whom it has since been intrusted to me for 

 description. 



In general appearance this fine species approaches very near 

 P. Hugelii from the Indian Ocean. I have, however, carefully 

 compared our specimen with Dr. Heller's description of that 

 species ; and it appears to me to possess characters sufficiently 

 distinct to justify its elevation to the rank of a species. I 

 therefore propose to retain Dr. Hector's MS. name, and 

 designate the new species Palinurus tumidus } although, per- 

 haps, giganteus would be more appropriate, the total length from 

 tip of beak to end of telson being 24 inches, the carapace very 

 much swollen and measuring 21^ inches in circumference. 



Dr. Hector informs me that this is the common crawfish 

 at the Sydney market ; yet, strange to say, although so large 

 and so common, it does not appear to have been described, the 

 only attempt made to identify it being found in the Sydney 

 Museum, where a specimen bears the label " Palinurus Hu- 

 gelii?' 



Palinurus tumidus. 



Carapace beaked, much swollen, armed with very blunt 

 depressed spines, some directed forward, others again stan ding- 

 nearly vertical ; a double row of small, stout, blunt spines, 

 standing nearly vertical, runs along the posterior edge of the 

 carapace. Beak stout, round, and curved upwards. Supra- 

 orbital spines stout, compressed, turned upwards. Antennal 

 spines stout, somewhat triangular in shape, also turned up- 

 wards. Superior antennas less than the total length of the 

 animal ; peduncle armed on its upper and outer surfaces with 

 stout spines. Inferior antenna? smooth, longer than peduncle 

 of superior. 



Anterior legs very stout, inferior margin of second joint 

 armed with a row of five or six spines ; third joint with a very 

 stout spine at the anterior and another at the posterior extre- 

 mity, the anterior one being twice the size of the posterior ; 

 also a stout triangular spine on the superior distal extremity ; 

 fifth joint with a row of six spines on the superior internal 

 angle, the largest and posterior one being directed backwards 



