272 DR. J. G. DE MAN ON" THE PODOPHTHALMOUS 



151. Alphbfs minor, Say. 



Alpheus minus, Say, Journ. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philad. vol. i. p. 245 

 (1818) ; Milne-Edwards, Hist. Nat. Crustaces, t. ii. p. 356. 



According to Mr. Miers, this species, discovered by Say on the 

 eastern coasts of ISTortla America, occurs also in tlie Indo-Pacific 

 region. He was able to compare typical specimens from East 

 Florida with specimens from the Indian Seas, which belonged 

 to Alplietis neptunus, Dana, and observed no other differences 

 between them than " that the ocular spines and the rostrum are 

 somewhat shorter and more triangulate in the Floridan examples 

 than m the Oriental form " (Zoology of H.M.S. ' Alert,' 1884, 

 p. 288) ; he therefore united Alpheus neptunus with the species 

 described by Say, regarding it as a variety of the latter. I 

 acquiesce in his opinion, and moreover also regard Stimpsou's 

 A. liunguiculatus from the Sandwich Islands as a variety of the 

 very variable Alpheus minor. 



Although I suspect that A. tricuspiclatus, Heller, from the Red 

 Sea, and A. Charon, Heller, from the Eed Sea and the Nicobar 

 Islands, may also prove to be only varieties of Say's species, 

 I cannot at present decide this question, as there are no speci- 

 mens at my disposal which present the characters of these two 

 forms. 



151«. Alpheus minor, var. neptfnus, Dana. 



Alpheus neptunus, Dana, United States Expl. Exp., Crustacea, i. p. 553, 

 pi. XXXV. fig. 5. 



Six specimens, viz. three males and three females of unequal 

 size, were collected in King Island Bay, and doubtless belong to 

 this species. All the female specimens are provided with eggs ; 

 the largest of them measures 21 millim. from the tip of the rostrum 

 to the end of the terminal scale, whereas the smallest is only 15 

 millim. These individuals present the following characters : — • 



The ocular spines and the rostrum are of equal length and 

 extend to the middle of tlie first (or antepenultimate) joint 

 of the peduncle of the internal antennae. The second joint of 

 the latter is scarcely longer than the first, but is distinctly longer 

 than the third joint. The distal half of the terminal joint 

 of the outer foot-jaw projects beyond the peduncle of the 

 external antennae. The rounded upper margin of the palm of 



