200 



Records of the Indian. Museum. [Vol. XXIV, 



above has the appearance of a short blunt tooth (text-fig. 49^). 

 In this respect there is a marked difference between P. agag and 

 certain related species such as P. andamanensis (cf. text-figs. 57a, 

 b, p. 207) in which there is a sharp and prominent spine in this posi- 

 tion. The chela is from it to 1*25 times the length of the carpus ; 

 the palm in the largest males is 2*5 times, in medium-sized speci- 

 mens I'g times and in the smallest i'6 times the length of the fingers. 

 The fingers show great variation in form ; frequently the cutting 

 edges are straight and meet throughout their length when the claw 

 is closed, bearing a series of small teeth in the proximal half or 

 two-thirds of their length (text-fig. 50b). Often, however, there is a 



Text-fig. 50. — Periclimeiies agag, sp. now 



Fingers of second peraeopod of adult males. 

 a. Excavate type. b. Non-excavate type. 



rounded excavation in each cutting edge a little behind the middle, 

 with the result that a gap, sometimes almost circular in outline, 

 is seen when the claw is shut (text-fig. 50a). The excavation in 

 each finger is limited at either end by a tooth and a series of 3 to 

 6 teeth is found between the gap and the base of the finders Males 

 are not dimorphic in the structure of the fingers for specimens 

 occur in an intermediate stage of development, with the notches 

 in the fingers shallow and inconspicuous. In all large males which 

 possess both the second legs the chelae of a pair are closely similar 

 in structure. 



In adult females the second peracopods (text-fig. 496) are 

 much shorter than in large males. The carpus is from 1*3 to 1*5 



