282 



and twice longer than wide; the rami are 2/3 the length of the basipodite 

 and finely denticulate proximally, more coarsely distally. The basipodite 

 of uropods II is 1.5 times longer than wide and the inner distal angles 

 project; the rami are smooth proximally, unevenly denticulate distally, 

 and equal to or barely shorter than the basipodite. The basispodite of 

 uropods III is about equal in length and width; the rami in females are 

 identical in length and equal to the basipodite; the endopodite is distinctly 

 broader than the exopodite; the latter is finely denticulate along the inner 

 margin but without distinct denticles on the outer margin; the endopodite 

 is uniformly denticulate along the outer margin and also in the distal 

 half of the inner margin, and the apical seta lies in a shallow pit. In 

 males the rami are more coarsely denticulate distally than proximally, 

 the endopodite is broader and longer than the exopodite, and the apical 

 seta of the endopodite situated in a deep notch between two denticles. 

 The telson is transversely oval, sometimes round. 



Distribution: This is a rare species, found only in the tropical part 

 of the eastern pacific and in the northwestern part of the Indian Ocean. 



15. Vibilia pyripes Bovallius, 1887 (Fig. 115) 



Bovallius, 1887a: 10; 1887b: 71; Behning, 1912: 213; Stephensen, 

 1918: 52.— grandicornis Chewreux, 1900: 131; Stephensen, 1918: 53. 



Body length up to 11 mm but generally less than 5-7 mm. 



The body integument is thick. The head lacks a rostrum, is slightly 

 shorter than the first two somites of the pereon, and its height is greater 

 than its length. The eyes occupy about 1/4 the lateral surface of the head, 

 are oval in females and slightly dorsally broadened in males. Antennae I 

 have a shape characteristic for the species. The base is cylindrical, with a 

 large proximal segment whose width is more than half the height of the 

 head but equal to the head in length; the 2nd-3rd segments together are 

 1/3 the length of the proximal segment; the 1st segment of the flagellum 

 is longer than the head and somite I of the pereon; the upper margin is 

 straight or slightly concave, the lower margin convex, the apex rounded 

 and shifted dorsally. Antennae II in females are six- to seven-segmented 

 and not longer than antennae I; in males they are eight-segmented and 

 longer than antennae I, at least in the length of the two distal segments; 

 the 3rd segment is the longest. 



Somite I of the pereon is very short and the length and height of 

 successive segments increase gradually; somites IV-VII are almost iden- 

 tical in size. The 2nd segment of pereopods I has parallel margins and is 

 slightly shorter than the other segments together; the 5th segment is equal 

 to the 6th in length and has a straight posterior margin; the anterior mar- 

 gin of the 6th segment is convex while the posterior margin is straight 

 and finely denticulate; the claw is half the length of the 6th segment 

 and denticulate posteriorly. The 2nd segment of pereopods II is equal to 



