Report on the zoological collections made in the Indo-Pacific Ocean ...

214 COLLECTIONS FROM MELANESIA.The Oriental specimen referred by White (List Crust. Brit. Mus.p. i3, 1847) to C. venosus certainly does not belong to this species.45. Leptodius exaratus (M.-Edw.).Here are referred, at least provisionally, an adult male from PortCurtis (No. 95), obtained on the beach, and two smaller specimensdredged in 7-11 fms. at the same locality (No. 85), also six specimensobtained on the beach, between tide-marks at Port Molle(No. 103).The Port-Curtis examples and one from Port Molle (in spirit)are of a yellowish-brown or greenish hue ; the five remainingexamples from the latter-mentioned locality are purplish red, thecarapace being oliscurcly punctulated with spots of a similar butdarker hue. Several of these specimens, in the form of the teeth ofthe antero-lateral margins and in the lesser distinctness of the areolatiouof the carapace, resemble L. gracilis (Dana), as do also specimensin the British-Museum collection from Australia, the Mauritius, andthe Piji and Sandwich Islands ; hut these are connected by suchgradual and insensible gradations with the more convex distirictlyareolatedand irregularly-toothed specimens referred to L. exaratus,that I must regard L. gracUis as very doubtfully distinct.Prof. Alphonse Milne-Edwards and others have referred to thewide geographical distribution of this common Oriental form*; andon this account, and also because of the uncertainty I at present feelregarding the true specific limitations of L. exaratus, I think itat present needless to refer in detail to the numerous examples inthe British-Museum collection which belong to it or to closelyallied types. I may note, however, the occurrence of severalvarieties (as I believe) of this species at Shark Bay, W. Australia{H.M.S.' Herald').46. Leptodius lividus.Xantho lividus, De liaan, Faun. Japon., Crust, p. 48, pi. xiii. fig. 6(1835).Seven small specimens, males and females, are in the collection ;the carapace of the largest male measures but 5 lines (nearly11 millim.) in length and 8 lines (17 millim.) in width ; thesespecimens (in spirit) are of a pale greenish or brownish yellow, andagree in all particulars with De Haan's diagnosis, except that thechelipedes have their palmar joints (like the wiists) rather coarselygranulated or even rugose on the upper and on the upper part ofthe outer surfaces.These specimens were obtained on the beach at Plinders Island,under stones.They are connected by a nearly complete series of intermediateforms (such as L. distingendus) with Leptodius exaratus.* Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat. ix. p. 223 (1873).