THE 
AMERICAN NATURALIST. 
Vor. xvit.— MARCH, 1884—No. 3. 
THE CRAB PARASITE, SACCULINA, 
BY CARL F. GISSLER. 
NOME three years ago I received a small number of crabs, pre- 
~ served in alcohol, that had been collected by Dr. Van Elsen 
in the neighborhood of Tampa, Hillsboro county, Fla. The sci- 
entific name of the crab is Panopæus herbstii, described by A. 
Milne. Edwards, a crustacean which has been introduced from 
farther south, Key West, the West Indies and Brazil, where it 
occurs most abundantly. Once in a great while an occasional 
Straggler from those southern waters is found on the shores of 
New Jersey, Long Island and Connecticut. Three other species 
of the genus Panopzeus permanently occur from Florida up to 
the New England States, Panopeus harrisii, P. depressus and P. 
‘a. Our P. herbstii is easily distinguished from the other three 
AR as taught by Professor S. I. Smith, of Yale College, “ by 
poe on the sub-hepatic region, just below the first lobe of 
antero-lateral border of the carapax, also by the post-orbital 
thar being Separated from the second tooth of the antero-lateral 
pred aad a rounded sinus, and by the dactylus of the larger 
eo having a stout tooth near the base within.” Tt is well 
n that all these Panopzus species largely contribute to the 
a many marine fishes. T 
much Much for the Panopæus. But our P. herdbstit does not so 
crustacean * US at present as does its enemy, which is also a 
ser , living parasitically on its host. It does, however, not 
Parasite in the gill-cavity of its host, as is the case with the 
: ep “Pyrus infecting the common shrimp of our shores," 
; : — oe Vol. xiv, sumac: 3d, 1881, p. 151. ery 
