404 



A. E. VerriU — -Decapod Crustacea of Bermuda. 



Mithrax hispidus (Herbst) Edwards. Large Bed Spider-crab; Coral Crab. 

 Cancer hispidus Herbst, op. cit., Band i, p. 247, tab. xviii, fig. 100, 1790. 

 Mithrax hispidus H. Milne-Edwards. Mag. de Zoologie, 3e an., 1833; Hist. 



nat. des Crust., i, p. 322, 1834. DeKay, Zoologj^ of New York, Crust., p. 



4, 1844. Gibbes, op. cit., p. 172. Stimpson, Amer. Jour. Sci., 2dser., xxix, 



1860, p. 132; Annals Lye. Nat. Hisi., New York, vol. vii, p. 18, 1860. 



Smith, these Trans., ii, pp. 2, 32, 1869 (descr. and measurements, Brazil). 



A. M.-Edw., Miss. Sci. Mex., v, i, p. 93, 1873, pi. xxi, fig. 1, 1875. M. J. 



Rathbun, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., xv, p. 265, 1892 (synon. and distribution); 



Brach. and Macr. Porto Rico, p. 67, 1901. 

 Maia sjyinicincta Lam., Hist., v, p. 241, 1818. 



Figure 40. Plate XXIII, Figures 3, 4. Plate XXIV, Figure 1. 



This species grows to large size. In life the larger specimens are 

 nearly uniform deep brownish red or terra-cotta color above, brighter 

 on the chelipeds and darker on the legs (due to brown hairs). The 

 legs often have brighter red bands at the joints. Under parts of body 

 mostly white or bluish white ; legs red, specked with pale yellow. 



Figure 40. — Mithrax hispidus, young S , from Bermuda, about |- nat. size. 

 Phot. A. H. V. 



A 3^oung specimen (No. 4058, fig. 40) in life had bright colors : 

 the carapace was bright reddish brown, varied with paler patches ; 

 the spines and tubercles were light brown ; cheliB pink with fine 

 black spots ; legs red, banded with pale yellow ; ventral parts pale 

 blue and bluish white. (C. S. V.) 



In large individuals the gastric area is prominent, wide, with 

 convex sides and defined by a wide and deep groove ; the groove 

 bounding the cardiac area is wide, but shallower. 



Our larger Bermuda specimen has many unequal conical spines 

 and tubercle^ on the surface, but between them the surface is smooth 



