Marvels of the Universe 



293 



Photo by'] 



On ihe upper side the K.ii 

 Only the long slende 



Berridge, F.Z.S. 



AMERICAN KING CRAB. 



Crab 

 'tail" 



is entirely protected by the two large armour-lik 

 s exposed, but this is covered, likewise, by hard she 



shells. 



II. 



a wood-louse, or a 

 sand-hopper, or any of 

 that great and hetero- 

 geneous assemblage 

 of aquatic organisms 

 popular!}' designated 

 shrimps. It would be 

 much nearer the mark 

 to call him the King 

 Scorpion, for his kin- 

 ship to the Scorpion, 

 although admitted!}' 

 remote, is not now 

 doubted by any com- 

 petent judge. So long 

 as this relationship is 

 clearl}' understood and 

 remembered, no harm 

 is done by adhering to 

 the popular name of 



King Crab for these animals. But we have to trace their lineage a long way back in the geological 

 records before finding animals obviously related to them, which, by their superficial as well as 

 fundamental resemblance to Scorpions, carry conviction as to the truth of the kinship above 

 claimed. Unlike the King Crabs, these animals, the Eurypterida, were narrow, long-bodied, active 

 swimmers, with the integument jointed as in Scorpions. In the King Crabs, as shown in the 

 illustrations on this page, the body is exceedingly broad and short, and possesses only one large 

 transverse joint, which divides it into an anterior portion and a posterior portion. The edges of 

 the former are pro- 

 duced sideways, and 

 in front into a great 

 downwardly bent, 

 roof -like expansion, 

 completely concealing 

 the stout locomotor 

 limbs which are tucked 

 away beneath it. Of 

 these there are fi\'e 

 pairs, all except the 

 last pair ending in 

 powerful nippers. The 

 mouth is placed in 

 the middle of the 

 lower surface of this 

 region of the body, 

 between the basal 

 segments of the limbs, 

 which are armed with 

 spines, in the place of 

 teeth, for tearing to 



Pholo by] 



[\r. S. JSerriilge, F.Z.S. 



IHE KING CRAB. 



The animal is here photographed on its bacU to show the jointed character of the under 

 surface, and the five pairs of limbs. Four pairs of these are provided with nippers. The mouth 

 is between the bases of these limbs. 



