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

;:654 COLLECTIONS FROM THE WESTERN INDIAN OCEAN,seems to be most nearlj' allied to Pseudodromia, Stimpson *, of whichI have sceu no specimens, but is distinguished by the flattened carapace,the different form of the front, which joins the antennularyseptum, and the much shorter fifth ambulatory legs.3. Homalodromia coppingeri. (Plate L. fig. B.)Carapace (in the female) flattened above, with the frontal regionslightly deflexed, the sides convergent to the posterior margin fromthe hepatic regions. The front is about one-half of the greatestwidth of the carapace ; the two lobes of "which it is composed areseparated to their bases by a rather wide interspace, and each lobohas a wide and rather shallow excavation at its distal extremity,"with the antcro -lateral angles produced and spiniform. There is asmall spine or tooth at the exterior orbital angle, and one at theinner inferior orbital angle. The sternal tubercles are somewhatelongated and divergent from their bases. The eyes are deeply setin the small orbits. The second peduncular joint of the antennaeterminates in two spines, and thus appears furcated at its distal extremity; the antennal flagella are considerably elongated. Themerus-joiut of the outer maxillipedcs is about as long as theischium-joint, and widens somewhat to its distal extremity, whichis truncated ; it bears the next joint at the inner end of its distalmargin ; the narrow, straight exoguath reaches to the distal endof the merus. The chelipedes (in the female) are rather shorterand little more robust than the following joints, with the armand merus short and unarmed, wrist with two spines on itsouter surface near the distal extremitj^; palm about as long as fingers,rounded above and below, and without spines ; fingei's dentated ontheir inner margins and at the semi-excavated distal extremity ;the second and third legs are without spines or tubercles, with thedactyli slightly shorter than the penultimate joints, terminating ina corneous claw, and bearing, as already stated, two or three accessoryspinules ; in the fourth legs the strongly curved dactyl is unarmedand about equals the penultimate joint in length ; in the fifth legsthe merus is slender and elongated, longer than the following jointthe spiniform process of the penultimate joint is strongly curved andconstitutes with the dactyl a perfectly formed prehensile organ.Colour (in spirit) pinkish ; the body is everywhere closely pubescentIqnger hairs clothe the margins of the carapace at the hepaticregions and the margins of the postabdominal segments and legs.Length of the carapace of the single example (an adult female)to end of rostrum nearly Sg lines (7 millim.), breadth a little lesslength of first ambulatory leg about 4| lines (nearly 11 millim.); offifth leg 3|- lines (nearly 8 millim.).The single specimen w^as coUected at Providence lleef, 24 fms.(No. 215), and has the carapace somewhat crushed on the dorsalsurface and the fifth ambulatory legs detached.* Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philad. p. 225 (1858).