Spongicoloides novaezelandiae Baba, 1979

(Figs. 9–11)

Spongicoloides novaezelandiae Baba, 1979: 311 .— Goy, 1980: 770.—Baba, 1983: 477.— Saito et al., 2006: 224.— Burukovsky, 2009: 498.— Goy, 2010: 227.— De Grave & Fransen, 2011: 252.

Material examined. New Caledonia. BIOCAL, stn CP61, 24°11’S, 167°32’E, 1070 m, 2.IX.1985, 1 female, (MNHN-Na 11996).—BIOCAL, stn CP60, 24°01’S, 167°08”E, 1480–1530 m, 2.IX.1985, 1 female ov. (MNHN- Na 11997).—BIOCAL stn DW79, 20°40’S, 166°52’E, 1320–1380 m, 5.IX.1985, 1 male (MNHN-Na 11998).— CALSUB Plongée 0 4, N. Lifou, 20°35’S, 167°12’E, 2380 m, 23.II.1989, in Euplectella sp., 1 female (MNHN-Na 11999).

Measurements (mm). Females, PCL: 7.9, 9.8, 12.3; RCL: 10.5, 13.3, 16.3; TL: 27.4, 34.0, 35.0. Male, PCL 5.9; RCL 8.7; TL: 21.1. Eggs in later stage of development measured 1.65 × 1.75 mm.

Distribution. New Zealand, New Caledonia, Tasmania, Fiji, Indian Ocean, and Madagascar (see Remarks).

Coloration. (Fig. 11) Body and appendages transparent with yellowish tinge from internal organs; tip of rostrum white; eyes white; tail fan whitish.

Hosts. The female collected during the CALSUB expedition was found in a hexactinellid sponge of the genus Euplectella . This specimen also represents the deepest (2380m) record for any stenopodidean shrimp. Five specimens collected off Fiji (see remarks) were also collected inside a species of Euplectella .

Remarks. Baba’s (1979) holotype was collected at a depth of about 1000 m in the Chatham Rise off New Zealand. The four New Caledonian specimens presented here and 13 additional specimens examined from New Zealand (NIWA 40567, 40638), Tasmania (MV J42176), Madagascar (MNHN), Indian Ocean (NTM Cr 008132), and Fiji (MNHN Na-11994, 11995; USNM 256953) demonstrate some of the variation seen in this species. The carapace bears a shallow rostral and hepatic groove, occasionally minute antennal and branchiostegal spines; 3–5 pterygostomian spines (Figs. 9 A–B, 10A–D). Rostrum with 8–14 dorsal, 1–3 ventral spines; scaphocerite with 4– 11 outer margin teeth. Telson with 4–11 spines on median carinae, 6–17 lateral border teeth; 6–12 posterior margin teeth. Third pereiopod ischia bear 1–4 spines; fourth and fifth pereiopods have 10–26 movable propodal spines.