Busquilla plantei Manning, 1978

Busquilla plantei MANNING, 1978 A: 23–24, FIG. 11 [TYPE LOCALITY: PASSE LOKOBE, MADAGASCAR].— AHYONG 2001: 204, FIG. 99; 2002: 835, FIG. 3.

Material examined. Tamil Nadu: ZRC, 1 male (TL 83 mm), PaZhayar Fish Landing, Nagapattinam, TN 170911 /2, coll. R. Lasley, B.Y. Lee & N.K. Ng, 17 September 2011.

Remarks. The present specimen of B. plantei represents the first record of the species and the first confirmed record of the genus from India. Alikunhi (1952, 1967) reported larVae and postlarVae from Madras of what he tentatiVely identified as Squilla boops Kemp, 1911 [= Busquilla quadraticauda (Fukuda, 1911)]. The identity of Alikunhi’s specimens, howeVer, being unlinked to known adults, remains to be confirmed.

The PaZhayar specimen is a mature male and agrees well in all respects with published accounts of the species. The abdominal carinae are spined as follows: submedian 5–6, intermediate 3–6, lateral (1)2–6, marginal 1–5.

Distribution. Widely distributed across the Indo-West Pacific from Madagascar, Australia, Hawaii and now from India; 17–221 m (Ahyong 2002).