16 
PACIFIC SCIENCE, Vol. VII, January, 1953 
show essentially the same structure. The 
points of variation are as follows: 
1. The nature of the tip of the rostrum (Fig. 
Ah, c, d ) . In his three specimens Coutiere was 
able to distinguish between the species A. 
equalis, which had a rostrum with a uniform 
taper, and the variety, A. equalis var. truncatus, 
which had an abruptly truncate rostrum. 
Specimens approaching both conditions are 
represented in the Hawaiian collections; how- 
ever, in those with the pointed rostrum it is a 
little less pointed than in those described by 
CoutiHe, and in those in which the rostrum is 
truncate it is a little less abruptly so than in 
his variety. In addition to the two extremes, 
there are a series of intergrading individuals 
which show various degrees of truncation. A 
number of these specimens have a very slight 
tooth at the lower side of the terminal trun- 
cation. I conclude, therefore, that the variety 
described by Coutiere is merely an individual 
variation. 
2. The presence of a tooth on the pterygo- 
stomial angle of the carapace (Fig. 4c, d ) . In 
most specimens in the Hawaiian collections 
the carapace below the base of the antennae is 
rounded, as Coutiere shows for A. equalis; in a 
few it has a tooth somewhat similar to that 
shown for A. equalis var. truncatus. However, 
among the specimens possessing the tooth, it 
is not always at the same stage of develop- 
ment, and in one specimen there is a tooth on 
one side but none on the other. Therefore this 
too must be considered an individual varia- 
tion. 
3. The coverage of the eyes by the carapace 
(Fig. Ah, d ) . In lateral view, the eyes of most 
specimens are completely obscured by the 
carapace which may project beyond the cor- 
neas for a varying distance; in several, how- 
ever, the anterior portion of the corneas of the 
eyes projects beyond the margin of the cara- 
pace. 
4. The size and the armature of the chelae 
(Fig. Ae-U). In most of the specimens with 
both chelae attached, the larger is only about 
10 per cent longer than its mate, but in sev- 
eral the larger chela was at least twice the size 
of the smaller. It is presumed that in these 
asymmetrical specimens the smaller chela was 
in the process of regeneration. Some of the 
specimens, moreover, had their fingers armed 
with a dense covering of recurving bristles; in 
others the bristles, while present, were neither 
dense nor conspicuous. Finally, all of the meri 
of the chelipeds had spine-like bristles, but in 
some they were conspicuous and strong and 
in others they were inconspicuous and weak. 
Between the specimens showing the extremes 
of variation of the chelipeds were intergrading 
individuals. 
If these variations were constant, so the 
truncated rostrum was always found with a 
pterygostomial spine and a spiny merus, etc., 
and if there were no intergrading individuals, 
the differences would be sufficient for the erec- 
tion of a new species; as it is, the species must 
be considered merely as one in which rather 
great variation occurs. 
DISTRIBUTION: The species has been re- 
ported from the Hawaiian Islands by Ed- 
mondson (1946). Specimens in the present 
collection have been collected on Oahu as fol- 
lows: on algal holdfasts in the intertidal zone 
near Koko Head and Kawela Bay; in water 
from 10 to 20 feet deep at Hanauma Bay, 
Waikiki, and Nanakuli. On Maui it was col- 
lected at three localities between Lahaina and 
Kalama Park in 3-8 feet of water. On Hawaii 
it was collected by Hiatt from a tidal pool on 
Keaoi Island, Kau Coast. 
Three specimens were collected by the "Al- 
batross” in Auau Channel, in water from 32 
to 43 fathoms deep (U. S. N. M. 63454, 63455, 
63456, "Albatross” Stations 3873, 3876, 3872). 
Either the species proper or its variety has 
been reported from Djibouti and Permin at 
the mouth of the Red Sea, from the Maldives 
in the Indian Ocean, and from New Caledonia 
and Samoa. 
