Leucosia haematosticta

Adams & White, 1848

The carapace of this small species is broadly rhomboidal, the antero-lateral borders are concave but the postero-lateral borders convex and the posterior border rounded. The upper surface of the carapace is strongly convex and has its median line obtusely ridged between the front and the gastric centre. The thoracic sinus is a simple cavity and is tomentose; its anterior boundary is defined by straight free edge of the pterygostomial plate.
Chelipeds are robust, the arm is somewhat compressed distally, its anterior and posterior margins are milled with a row of pearly granules; its upper proximal surface is covered with several granules, which are partly concealed by a dense tomentum. The lower proximal surface has also a patch of granules covered by tomentum. The palm is convex in the middle, carinate on the outer border and milled on the inner. The movable finger is longer than the immovable finger. The propodus of the ambulatory legs is flattened and carinate on both edges; the dactylus is lanceolate.
The life colours vary according to the nature of the bottoms the animal inhabits. In the individuals found on sandy ground, the body is usually pale whitish or bluish, with patches of reddish spots. In the individuals obtained from the muddy sand or shelly ground, the body is usually brownish or yellowish grey, with the red spots aforementioned. (Sakai, 1937)

Type locality: Eastern Seas.
Range: India - Palk Strait (Alcock, 1896); Japan - Kagoshima Bay (Stimpson, 1907), coast of Miyazaki Prefecture (Yokoya, 1933), Shimoda (Sakai, 1935), Shimoda, Sagami Bay and Nagasaki (Sakai, 1937a), Ariake-kai (Miyake, 1961), Amakusa and Sea of Ariake (Miyake et al., 1962), Sagami Bay (Sakai, 1965b), Genkai-nada (Takeda, 1973c), Sagami Bay, Shimoda, Kii Peninsula, Tosa Bay and Nagasaki (Sakai, 1976a), Amakusa (Yamaguchi et al., 1976), off Matsuyama, Seto Inland Sea (Takeda et al., 2000); Korea - Bangjugpo and Hae-undae (Kim, 1973); China - Hainan Island (Dai & Yang, 1991); Gulf of Tongking (Zarenkov, 1990); Gulf of Thailand; Singapore (Nobili, 1903c); Indonesia - Timor; Australia - Dampier Archipelago and Shark Bay (Tyndale-Biscoe & George, 1962), off Cape Moreton (Griffin, 1972), Bowen Harbour and Port Denison, Port Jackson; 30-100 m.

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