"Munida spinosa, Henderson (Pl. III. fig. 3).
Munida spinosa, Henderson, Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist., ser. 5, vol. xvi. p. 408, 1885.
Characters.—The rostrum is about half the length of the carapace and slightly upturned towards the apex; the supraorbital spines are distinctly elevated, with a slight divergence, and extend a little beyond the middle of the rostrum. The striae on the surface of the carapace are strongly developed, and as a rule without hairs; the gastric area is distinctly circumscribed, and bears in front from six to ten spines arranged in a semilunar-shaped row, of which the two largest are situated behind the supra-orbitals, a single spinule (occasionally absent) is found on each branchial region immediately behind the cervical groove, and a spine occurs in front of this on the area formed by the splitting of the cervical groove. The lateral margin of the carapace is armed with about seven well-marked spines, two of which are placed in front of the anterior division of the cervical groove; the first or postorbital is longer than any of the others.
The chelipedes are long and of moderate width, with all the joints strongly spinose, the largest spines being, however, situated on the merus; the spines on the upper surface of the propodus are more curved than usual and arranged in three rows; the fingers are scarcely equal in length to the palm, slightly bent and comparatively smooth, with their opposed edges finely dentate, in contact almost throughout, and fringed with hairs. The ambulatory limbs have the meral and carpal joints strongly spinose, the former on both margins, the latter merely in front.
The eyes are of large size and somewhat rounded. The various joints of the antennal peduncle are spinose, the anterior prolongation of the first joint being of moderate length. The ischium of the external maxillipedes has its inner margin terminating distally in one or two short stout spinules, and the merus is armed with three spines on its inner margin, the first of large size, the second of small size, and the third placed at the distal end; the outer surface of the merus is obscurely tubercular.
The abdominal segments are comparatively smooth, the second is, however, provided with six prominent spines on its anterior margin.
Breadth of carapace (of an adult male) 17 mm., length of body1 43 mm., of carapace (not including rostrum) 20 mm., of rostrum 9•5 mm., of chelipede 81 mm., of chela 33 mm., of first ambulatory leg 50 mm.
The strongly developed spiny armature of this species distinguishes it from all other members of the genus. Females are of slightly smaller size, with the spines less strongly developed, the chelipedes narrower, and the rostrum apparently slightly longer than in males. In young specimens most of the adult characters can be recognised.
Habitat.—Station 145A, off Prince Edward Island; depth, 310 fathoms; bottom, volcanic sand. Many specimens, including adults of both sexes and young; some of the females are with ova.
Station 320, off Rio de la Plata; depth, 600 fathoms; bottom, green sand. Several specimens, the majority of which are young."
(Henderson, 1885)
