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

;538 COLLECTIONS PKOM THE WESTERN INDIAN OCEAN.43. Xiphonectes vigilans (Dana), var, oMusidentatus.(Plate XL VIII. fig. A.)Thus is designated a female with ova, from the Seychelles, 4-12fms. (No. 194), which may be specifically distinct from Dana's types,which were collected at the Fijis. As, however, Dr. F. Ilichters *has recently recorded X. vigilans from the Seychelles, and notesimportant variations in the number of the antero-lateral marginalteeth, I do not at present venture to separate the specimen beforeme from this species. It is distinguished from X. vir/ihins andX. lonr/isjnnosus, as figured by Dana, and also from X. leptochelcs,A. M.-Edwards, by the form of the frontal lobes, which are nottriangulate and acute, but obtuse and broadly rounded, so that thetwo i)rominent submcdian lobes are semicircular in form. Thereare eight antero-lateral marginal teeth on one side and seven onthe other (including the outer orbital tooth, but excluding the longlateral spine) ; these teeth are very irregular and unequally developed.Specimens which I refer to X vigilans, Dana, are in the Eritish-Museum collection from the Eiji Islands, ^. e. Nairai, Ovalau, andMatuka (B.M.S. Herald ' '). These all have the submedian frontalteeth more triangulate than in the specimen from the Seychellesin the largest specimen, which is about as large as the example fromSeychelles, they are very prominent and acute. The antero-lateralmarginal teeth are much more regularly and evenly developed, andvary from five to nine in number; they are least numerous in thelargest example.44. Scylla serrata (ForsW).A small male is in the collection from Mozambique, between tidemarks(Xo. 227).As is usual in immature examples, this specimen has the teeth ofthe front very obscurely developed.Specimens of this very common species are in the Museum collectionfrom the Mauritius (Lady F. Cole) ; Port Natal ; S. Africa,at the mouth of the Swartkopfs Eiver (7)r. A. Smith); Dukhun(Col. Sylrs); Bali and W. Borneo (coll. Dr. Bleel-er); Philippines,Luzon (Cuming) ; Hong Kong, China (J. Reeves) ; Fijis, YanuaLevu and Bau (H.M.8. ' Herald ') ; and New Caledonia (J. Macgillivray).45. Achelous granulatus, M.-Ediu.Seychelles, 4-12 fms., a female with ova (No. li)4).The distribution of this species has been already noticed onp. 230.* In Mubius's ' Beitr. zur Meeresfauua der Mauritius uud der S'.'jchclleD,'Decapoda, p. 152 (1880).