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

;:314 COLLECTIONS FEOM MELANESIA.segment are slightly acute, and in the third segment nearly a rightangle ; the terminal segment or telson is subtriangulate, entire,longer than broad, with the apex subacute. Tho eyes are black,somewhat ovate in shape. The antennules scarcely equal in lengththe head and first two segments of the pereion ; they have threejoints of the peduncle exposed, the first and second subequal inlength, but the first somewhat thicker ; the third joint sleudererthan the second and about half its length ; fiagellum 13- or 14-jointed. The antenna? have tho first joint (which is only partiallyvisible in a lateral view) short, subspherical, the second very shortand not more dilated than the third and fourth, which are elongated; the fourth a little shorter than the second ; fiagellum about8-jointed. The first pair of legs (gnathopoda) have their basusjointsmoderately dilated, with the posterior margins thin-edgedand hairy ; ischium and merus very short ; carpus considerably dilated,and produced at its posterior and distal angle into a spine,which extends along the posterior margin of the propus and reachesto its distal extremity. The jDropus or penultimate joint is ovate,the dactyl minute and articulated with it at its distal extremity.In the second legs the carpus is very short, and produced alongthe posterior margin of tho propus for less than half its lengththe propus is subovate and large ; its posterior margin is armedin its distal half with a series of small granuliform teeth, againstwhich the well-developed dactyl impinges. The third and fourthlegs are small and present nothing remarkable ; the fifth to sevent.hhave the coxae small, the basus-joint moderately enlarged androunded posteriorly ; tho following joints slender and nearly nalcedthe fourth and fifth slightly produced at the posterior and distalangles. The three posterior pairs of tail-appendages are biramose,the rami lanceolate and acute ; in the posterior pair the outer is alittle shorter than the inner ramus. Colour (in spirit) whitish.Length about 7^ lines (16 millim.).A single specimen was obtained at Thursday Island, 4-5 fms.(No. 165).This species is distinguished from L. sjoinicarpa, var. commeoisalis,Haswell, and the closely allied species or varieties L. diemenensisand L. gracilis, Haswell, by the broader, more ovate propus or palmand shorter dactyl of the first legs, and the more regularly andevenly toothed palm of the legs of the second pair. The terminalsegment is shorter, less acute, and broader-triangulate than in thespecimen I refer to L. commensalis.L. nova'-JioUcoidice, Haswell, from Port Jackson, is at once distinguishedby the broad truncated palm and the absence of a dactylto the anterior legs, by the shorter carpal process of the second legs,and by other characters. Our species may be regarded as in somesense intermediate between the first three and the last-mentionedspecies.There are mutilated specimens both of L. novce-Jiollandice andL. hrevidigitata in the Museum collection from Vaucluse Point,Port Jackson {J. Brazier).