[Illustration: Plate LXII. Echidnocerus cibarius. Cryptolithodes
sitchensis. Echidnocerus foriminatus. Phyllolithodes papillosus.]
GENUS ^Echidnocerus^
^E. cibarius.^ This curious crab has the carapace raised in front
into a large cone-like elevation terminating in a long point. Three
prominent but smaller cones extend across the center of the back,
and two still smaller ones occur on the posterior sides and in the
middle of the posterior margin. The whole surface of the carapace
is covered with coarse granulations arranged in rosette-like
groups. The chelipeds and legs are beset with large tubercles and
fold together in such a manner that when retracted the crab is a
close, compact, box-like mass, with a very rough, [pg271] spiny
armature. The antennæ are broad at the base and covered with small
spines on the sides and upper surface, and the eye-stalks are also
spiny. This crab sometimes attains the size of ten inches across
the carapace and a weight of seven pounds, being among the largest
crabs known. It is found at the mouth of the Columbia River and
along the northwest coast. (Plate LXII.)
^E. foriminatus.^ This species resembles /E. cibarius/ in the
manner of closing the feet, forming a compact, box-like, spiny
armature. The body is more depressed than that of the latter,
and the cone-like elevations on the back are less prominent. The
spines are hairy. The characteristic feature of this species is a
semicircular cut in the second joints of the chelipeds, directly
opposite to similar depressions in the first walking-legs, so that
when the feet are folded a round hole is left, through which water
flows freely to the gill-openings, which might, without these open
holes, be obstructed by the close folding of the legs against the
carapace. Found off the California coast near San Francisco. (Plate
LXII.)
GENUS ^Acantholithodes^
^A. hispidus.^ The whole body in this species, including the legs,
is covered with hairy spines. The abdomen is broad, and covers
about the whole under surface of the body, and is also beset with
hairy spines, but they are less prominent than those on the upper
side. The rostrum, terminating in spines, reaches to the tips of
the eye-stalks, which are also spiny. The chelipeds are larger and
longer than the walking-feet; the latter taper to a point, ending
in a sharp nail. The shape of the body resembles somewhat that of
a toad. This is a deep-water species, but it is sometimes brought
ashore at Monterey, California, by fishermen who find it in the
stomachs of fishes.
GENUS ^Cryptolithodes^
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