196 ALLAN HANCOCK PACIFIC EXPEDITIONS VOL.24 



Some of the Zaca specimens from La Union and Punta Monypenny 

 in Golfo de Fonseca were taken from serpent stars. Ophiurans from 

 Zaca station 199 and dredge hauls corresponding to those of Mtnyocerus 

 were Amphipholis platydisca Nielsen, Ophiothrix spiculata Leconte, and 

 Ophiolepis grisea H. L. Clark (Clark, 1940). 



Commensalism was not noted for Velero III specimens from Bahia 

 de Tepoca, 11 to 13 fathoms, but very probably these specimens were 

 also associated with echinoderms at the time of capture. The Minyocerus 

 species would seem to be obligatory commensals on echinoderms, possi- 

 bly confined to Luidia among the Asteroidea and to one genus or a 

 very few genera in the Ophiuroidea. 



Ovigerous females of Minyocerus kirki have been collected in May 

 and December. 



Relationships : In the closely related western Atlantic species, Minyo- 

 cerus angustus (Dana), 1852, the anterior margin of the carpus some- 

 times lacks a spine, although one or two (rarely three) strong ones may 

 be developed; when present they tend to be narrower in proportion to 

 their length than the large carpal spine of M. kirki. The merus of the 

 walking legs is more slender than in the Pacific species. 



Remarks: Minyocerus kirki was previously known only from San 

 Felipe, Gulf of California. The present study has revealed specimens 

 from two other localities at the head of the Gulf, and from Golfo de 

 Fonseca in Central America. Echinoderms from the intervening terri- 

 tory should be examined for specimens. 



Range: Punta Penasco and San Felipe, Gulf of California, south to 

 Punta Monypenny, Nicaragua. Shore to 13 fathoms. 



PORCELLANA Lamarck 1801 



Porcellana Lamarck, 1801, p. 153 (type species Cancer platy-cheles 



Pennant, 1777, by monotypy). 

 Platycheles Billberg, 1820, p. 134 (type species Cancer platy-cheles 



Pennant, 1777, by tautonymy). 

 Enostea Gistel, 1848, pp. 159, 196 (substitute name for Porcellana 



Lamarck, 1801 ; taking the same type species, Cancer platy-cheles 



Pennant, 1777). 



Carapace usually a little longer than broad; surface without spines 

 or strong protuberances; lateral margins posterior to cervical groove 

 entire, or with a few spines or tubercles on anterior portion of branchial 



