CRUSTACEA OF THE MEEGUI ABCHIPELAGO. 275 



This most interesting species, whicli I dedicate to tlie author 

 of the important Eeport on the carcinological Collections made 

 ia the Indian Ocean during the voyage of H.M.S. ' Alert,' pre- 

 sents a remarkable transition between the genera Coralliocaris 

 {CEdipus^ Dana) and SarpiUus, the small curved claws of the 

 legs of the last three pairs being armed with a small accessory 

 tooth on their inner (inferior) margins, quite as in the genus 

 Coralliocaris. But Sarpilius Miersi is also remarkable, because 

 in general appearance and in many particulars it presents a 

 striking resemblance to two allied species, viz. Anchistia auran- 

 tiaca, Dana, from the Fiji Islands, and Rarpiliiis iiiermis, Miers, 

 from the Australian Seas, especially to the former. 



The body of Sarpilius Miersi is somewhat compressed, espe- 

 cially the postabdomen, which is curved downwards, like that 

 of Sarpilius inermis ; the surface of the body appears smooth 

 to the naked eye, but is really minutely punctate when ex- 

 amined under a magnifying-glass. The anterior margia of the 

 carapace is armed with a small antenual spine above the basal 

 joint of the external antennae. The upper surface of the cara- 

 pace is rounded. The rostrum is very characteristic: it is 

 strongly compressed, ensiform, longer than the eyes, and reaches 

 to the middle of the penultimate joint of the internal antennae; 

 in a dorsal view it appears acute at its apex, and much resembles 

 that of Anchistia aurantiaca. In a lateral view it appears 

 lamellate, being nearly four times as long as broad ; in that 

 position also the denticulation of the rostrum becomes visible 

 by means of a magnifying-glass. The upper margin is almost 

 entire throughout its length, except quite at the distal end 

 (fig. 8), where it is armed with four small acute teeth, placed 

 immediately before the acute tip ; the under margin also is almost 

 entire, presenting only one small tooth at the distal end, placed 

 immediately below the second or third tooth of the upper margin ; 

 the tooth of the under margin, however, is much smaller than 

 the teeth of the upper margia, and can only be distinguished by 

 means of the microscope. The terminal segment of the post- 

 abdomen is rounded above, but gradually and considerably narrows 

 towards its distal end, which bears some setae; its lateral margins 

 are unarmed. The peduncles of the upper antennae are longer 

 than the rostrum, which reaches to the middle of their penultimate 

 joint, but are a little shorter than the scale of the external antennae ; 

 the last two joints have almost the same length. The external 



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