DEC.\POD CRUSTACEANS OF THE BEAUFORT, N. C, REGION. 397 



which originate, one from a fissure in the superior margin of the orbit, and the other at the external 

 cantlius, unite above the lateral spine and disappear a little farther back. A third line begins in the 

 fissure at the external canthus and passes below the lateral spine. Rostrum shorter than eyestalks, 

 unarmed, its tip obtuse. First segment of peduncle of antennule with a mucronate scale below the eye; 

 flagellalittle longer than antennal scale. Antennse as long as body, slender; scale long, broadest below 

 middle, thence tapering rapidly to the narrow rounded tip; apical spine strong, about as long as distal 

 width of scale. External maxillipeds about as long as antennules, hairy. First pair of legs subchelate, 

 palm ^vith a strong spine at distal end of fing-er; meros with a small spine on lower margin. Second pair 

 of legs almost filiform, third pair stronger, fourth and fifth pairs normal but comparatively weak. Tel- 

 son slender, with four small spines above, tip imarmed. 



Length of a female, 55 mm.; carapace, including rostrum, 11 mm.; rostrum, i mm. 



Color, according to Say, pale cinereous, with very numerous irregular, stellate, blackish-brown 

 spots. 



In the Beaufort region this shrimp has been supposed to be very rare. The laboratory collection 

 long contained but a single specimen taken in shallow water close to the laboratory. During the early 

 spring of 1914 two additional specimens, were taken in the same locality. In the late fall of the same 

 year it was quite frequently taken in the otter trawl in the Morehead Channel, a dozen or more some- 

 times coming up at one haul. Most of the specimens were ovigerous females whose eggs, in some cases, 

 were nearly ready to hatch. 



Suborder REPTANTIA. 



Decapod crustaceans, usually of a lobsterlike or crablike form, having the abdomen, 

 whether well developed or greatly reduced, more or less depressed, the first segment 

 distinctly smaller than the rest, and the pleopods, which are not used for swimming, 

 often reduced or wanting. The cephaiothorax also is usually depressed and the legs 

 are strong, the first pair usually, the others never, larger than their fellows. Some of 

 the first four pairs of legs rather often bear podobranchs. The rostrum is usually small 

 or wanting; if present it is depressed. 



This large and important division of decapod crustaceans, comprising some 700 

 genera, is divided into the "sections" Palinura, Astacura, Anomura, and Brachyura, 

 all of which are represented in the fauna of the Beaufort region. 



Section PALINURA. 



Reptantia having the abdomen well developed, extended, symmetrical, and well 

 armored, the carapace fused at the sides to the epistome, the legs strong, the third pair 

 being like the first either chelate or simple, the rostrum small or wanting and the gills 

 numerous. 



This section comprises two tribes, of which one, Eryonidea, does not occur within 

 our limits. The other, Scyllaridea, is represented by two species. 



Tribe SCYLLARIDEA. 



Palinura having the first article of the second anteima fused with the epistome, no 

 antennal scale, all the legs of about the same length and, with the occasional exception 

 of the first pair, none of them chelate, the first abdominal segment without limbs and 

 the tail fin divided by indistinct sutures into a soft hinder half and a harder front half. 



This tribe comprises two families, both of which are represented in our fauna. 

 69571°— 18 26 



