Xantho nudipes (Dana).

Chlorodius nudipes Dana, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philad., 1852, p. 79, 1852; and U.S. Expl. Exped., Crust., 1, p. 209, pl. 11, figs. 12 a–c, 1855. Leptodius nudipes A. Milne-Edwards, Nouv. Archiv. Mus., 9, p. 225, pl. 7, fig. 5, 1873; Miers, Cat. N.Z. Crust., p. 17, 1876; Filhol, Mission de l'île Campbell, p. 374, 1885. Xantho (Leptodius) nudipes Alcock, Proc. Asiatic Soc. Bengal, 67, p. 121, 1898.

Numerous specimens from Coral Bay, Sunday Island; Meyer Island, &c. It is only with considerable hesitation that I assign these specimens to this species. In the rugose and wrinkled character of the hands of the chelipeds, and in the general appearance of the carapace, the short legs almost destitute of setae, &c., they appear to agree pretty closely with the description and figures given by A. Milne-Edwards, except that he describes the antero-lateral margins of the carapace as being divided into 10 or 12 teeth, grouped in 4 lobes. In my specimens the teeth are much fewer in number, the two posterior ones being simple and of the usual character, while anterior to these the lobes or teeth become somewhat indefinite, so that the anterior border might be described as being divided into 6 to 8 teeth. Alcock says, “The antero-lateral border is divided into 4 acute lobes or teeth, but each of the first 3 teeth have, at base, either one or two (one on either side) small additional cusps, and the 4th tooth is generally double, so that altogether there are from 8 to 11 teeth on the antero-lateral margin.” This would agree moderately well with my specimens, except that in them none of the lobes or teeth are quite acute. On the other hand, Alcock places the species under the subgenus Leptodius, and specially mentions that “the fingers are typical spoons,” and, so far as one can judge from the figure, this appears to be the case with the specimens figured by Dana. In my specimens the fingers are quite sharp at the points, and this seems to be the case with those figured by A. Milne-Edwards. Consequently, while I feel pretty confident that my specimens must belong to the same species as those described by Milne-Edwards from New Caledonia, I am doubtful if they are quite the same as those described by Alcock.

X. nudipes and the allied species. Chlorodius eudorus Milne-Edwards are stated to occur in New Zealand on the authority of specimens in the collections of the Paris Museum; Filhol says that the specimens of X. nudipes come from Cook Strait, and he considers that Chlorodius eudorus should be looked upon as a variety of this species. I have seen no specimens from New Zealand itself that could be referred to either of these species.

Xantho (Leptodius) euglyptu Alcock, from Galle and Mergui, and Xantho quinquedentatus Krauss, from South Africa, both seem to be closely similar