REPORT ON THE BRACHYURA. 
207 
Podophthalmus, Lamarck. 
Podophthalmus, Lamarck, Syst. Anim. sans Vert., vol. v. p. 152, 1801. 
„ Milne Edwards, Hist. Nat. Crust., vol. i. p. 465, 1834. 
„ A. Milne Edwards, Archiv. Mus. Hist. Nat., vol. x. p. 419, 1861. 
In this long known blit remarkable genus the carapace is depressed and very broadly 
transverse, anteriorly truncated, and widest in front ; the exterior angles of the orbits 
terminate in a strong spine, and posterior to this, upon the lateral margins (in Podoph- 
thalmus vigil), is another spine ; the lateral margins converge very rapidly to the posterior 
margin. The front or space included between the bases of the eye-peduncles is linear 
(as in some species of Gelasimus), but below the eyes it is transversely dilated and 
prolonged for a short distance beneath the bases of the eye-peduncles. The orbits are 
enormously developed, and extend along the whole of the anterior margin of the carapace. 
But very obscure traces (if any) exist of the longitudinal ridges of the endostome. The 
post-abdomen (in the male) is five-jointed, with the third to the fifth segments consoli- 
dated. The eye-peduncles are very slender and extremely elongated. The antennules are 
placed beneath the bases of the eye-peduncles, in large quadrate fossettes, into which the 
considerably elongated flagella cannot be retracted. The basal joint of the peduncle of 
the antennse is short and moderately dilated, it occupies the interior hiatus of the orbit, 
and reaches the lateral process of the front. The ischium of the exterior maxillipedes is 
not produced at its antero-internal angle ; the merus-joint is obliquely truncated at the 
distal extremity, and its antero-external angle is somewhat produced and broadly 
rounded. The chelipedes (in the adult male) are subequal and very large ; their merus 
and carpus-joints are armed with spines, the palms are considerably elongated and 
longitudinally carinated on the exterior surface ; fingers nearly straight and unequally 
dentated, as in other genera of Portunidse. The ambulatory legs present nothing 
abnormal ; the merus-joint of the fifth natatory legs is somewhat compressed, and has 
a spine on its inferior margin near the distal extremity; the penultimate and terminal 
joints are dilated, as in other Portunidse. The single recent species of this genus 
{Podophthalmus vigil ) is distributed throughout the whole Indo-Pacific region. 
Podophthalmus vigil (Fabricius). 
Portunus vigil, Eabricius, Entom. Syst. Suppl., p. 363, 1798. 
Podophthalmus vigil, Leach, Zool. Miscell., vol. ii. p. 149, pi. cxviii., 1815. 
,, „ Milne Edwards, Hist. Nat. Crust., vol. i. p. 467, 1834, et synonyma; 
Crust, in Rtgne Animal de Cuvier, atlas, pi. ix. fig. 1. 
„ „ A. Milne Edwards, Archiv. Mus. Hist. Nat., vol. x. p. 420, 1861. 
Honolulu, on the reefs (a fine adult male). 
