(Herbst, 1790)
Carapace rhomboid and similar to the Parthenope validus in outline. Gastric, cardiac and branchial regions separated from each other by deep grooves, each region covered with mushroom-shaped granules of various sizes, interspersed with curly setae also occurring in depressions of the chelipeds. Rostrum sharp and protruding, finely serrated along lateral margins, dorsal surface concave at the base. Dorsal margin of orbit convex, finely granulated and marked with a fissure at the middle. Margin of hepatic region slightly produced, with fine granules, margin of branchial region bearing 7 spines, gradually increasing in size from front to rear. Postero-lateral margin with 2 spines of various sizes. Posterior margin with several spiniform granules.
Chelipeds stout, especially in the male. Merus with triangular processes on dorsal surface and with spines along the anterior and posterior margins. Palm with 2 longitudinal rows of teeth on the dorsal surface, inner and outer margins bearing spines; merus and palm with smooth granules on the ventral surface. The movable finger also with spines on dorsal margin. Ambulatory legs slender and small; merus with spines; carpus and propodus of the last pair also with spinules on the anterior margin.
First pleopod of the male stout, slightly convex medially, distal portion with spines on inner side and long spines on outer side. Male abdomen narrow and elongate; third to fifth segments fused, sutures recognizable; sixth segment with a tooth on the median of the surface; telson triangular. Female abdomen broadly oval; telson triangular. Carapace length of the male 28 mm, breadth 34 mm; of the female, length 33 mm, breadth 41 mm. (Dai & Yang, 1991)
Type locality: Tranquebar, south India.
Range: Mauritius; India - Tranquebar (Herbst, 1790), Orissa coast (Alcock, 1895a), Coromandel coast; Sri Lanka; Nicobar Islands; China - Hong Kong (Stimpson, 1907), Xiamen (Flipse, 1931), Guangdong and Guangxi (Dai & Yang, 1991); Taiwan - Tungshih, Hsiak'unhsen, and Tinch'ieting (Lin, 1949); Gulf of Thailand; Singapore; Philippines - Bohol (Flipse, 1931); Sulu Sea (Flipse, 1930); Indonesia - Java Sea (Flipse, 1930), Bangka (Flipse, 1931), Selat Karimata (Ng & Rahayu, 2000).