276 



in males projects roundly above the base of antennae I; the rostrum is 

 almost absent or very small. The flagellum of antennae I is equal in 

 length to the head and somite I of the pereon, while the antennae are 

 equal to the head and first two somites of the pereon. The shape of the 

 flagellum is a good diagnostic character of this species: it is broadened 

 in the proximal 1/3 (especially the underside), then gradually tapers to an 

 acute, sometimes even slightly stretched, tip. A minute rudiment of the 

 2nd segment, bearing a fascicle of short setae, is situated in a notch at 

 the apex of the 1st segment; similar setae are uniformly arranged along 

 the margins of the 1st segment of the flagellum. Antennae II in females 

 are six- to eight-segmented and equal to antennae I in length; in males 

 they are seven- to nine-segmented and distinctly longer than antennae I, 

 mainly because the segments are longer. 



Pereopods I bear several strong setae on the posterior margin of the 

 5th segment and on the anterior margin of the 6th. The claw is strong, 

 longer than half the 6th segment (the same proportion is also observed 

 in pereopods III-IV). The process of the 5th segment of pereopods II 

 extends to the base of the claw and its inner side is unevenly denticulate; 

 the margins of the 6th segment are also denticulate; the largest denticle 

 occurs at the base of the claw. Pereopods III-IV are identical and have 

 a very small pecten of setae along the posterior margin of the 5th-6th 



227 segments. Pereopods V-VI are also similar; the anterior margins of the 

 4th-6th segments are armed with minute setae and the anterior margin of 

 the 2nd segment with several thin spinules; the claws are slightly shorter 

 than half the 6th segment. Pereopods VII are relatively longer and extend 

 to the end of the 5 th segment of pair VI; the 2nd segment has a round 

 posterior lobe; the 4th, 5th, and 7th segments are about equal in length; 

 the 6th segment is narrower and twice longer than the 5th and slightly 

 broadened distally; the last segment is finger-shaped with a squamose 

 pattern on the surface. 



The posterior lateral angles of the last urosomite project prominently 

 backward along the sides of the telson. The basipodites of the uropods are 

 longer than the rami. The basipodite of uropods III is longer than wide; 

 in females the rami are of equal length, while in males the endopodite is 

 broader and somewhat longer than the exopodite. The telson is roundish- 

 triangular. 



Distribution: Mainly found in tropical and subtropical waters, but 



228 often strays into the boreal region where, of course, it is found in small 

 numbers. In the Southern Hemisphere, it is distributed up to 50° S. 



13. Vibilia cultripes Vosseler, 1901 (Fig. 113) 



Vosseler, 1901: 121; Behning, 1912: 213; 1913: 533; Stephensen, 

 1918: 53; Chevreux and Page, 1925: 388; Shoemaker, 1945a: 234. 



One of the largest species of Vibilia: adults reach up to 15 mm. 



