Galathea coralliophilus Baba & Oh, 1990

Dong, Chao & Li, Xinzheng, 2010, Reports of Galathea Fabricius, 1793 (Crustacea: Decapoda: Anomura: Galatheidae) from Chinese waters, with descriptions of two new species, Zootaxa 2687, pp. 1-28 : 9-11

Galathea coralliophilus Baba & Oh, 1990

( Fig. 5 )

Galathea aff. consobrina . — Gordon 1935: 5, figs 2, 3a, b (not G. consobrina De Man, 1902 ). Galathea spinosorostris . — Johnson 1970: 6, fig. 1b (not G. spinosorostris Dana, 1852 ). Galathea coralliophilus Baba & Oh, 1990: 358 , fig. 1 (type locality: Singapore, tidal). — Komai 2000: 252. — Baba et

al. 2008: 68.

Material examined. South China Sea. Hainan Island: Linchang Reef, coral reef — MBM 150381, 2 ovigerous females (3.5, 3.7 mm), 5 Aug.1958; MBM 150126, 1 ovigerous female (3.4 mm), CN 90C-715, 13 Dec.1990; MBM 150280, 1 male (3.7 mm), 1 ovigerous female (4.0 mm), 5 m, 10 Apr.1992; MBM 150275, 3 males (2.8–4.1 mm), 3 ovigerous females (4.0– 4.3 mm), intertidal coral platform, from dead coral, 10 Apr.1992; MBM 150282, 2 males (2.7, 3.1 mm), 1 ovigerous female (3.8 mm), CN 92C-308, 10– 11 m, 7 Apr.1992; MBM 150295, 22 males (2.4–5.1 mm), 5 females (2.1–4.5 mm), 22 ovigerous females (2.7–4.5 mm), CN 92C-306, 7– 10 m, 11 Apr.1992; MBM 150310, 18 ovigerous females (2.7–4.5 mm), 18 males (2.09– 4.3 mm), CN 92C-306, 7 Apr.1992. Lingao, Meixia — MBM 150116, 1 male (3.3 mm), 1 ovigerous female (4.2 mm), 8 Apr.1992; MBM 150283, 5 males (2.9–4.2 mm), 11 ovigerous females (2.7–4.1 mm), intertidal coral platform, from dead coral, 9 Apr.1992; MBM 150301, 32 males (2.4–4.4 mm), 3 females (3.0– 3.6 mm), 31 ovigerous females (3.0– 4.4 mm), CN 92C-324, 8 Apr.1992; MBM 150308, 36 males (2.7–4.6 mm), 25 ovigerous females (3.2–4.6 mm), CN 92C-323, 8 Apr.1992; MBM 150313, 1 male (3.5 mm), CN 90C–689, 2 Dec.1990; MBM 150306, 3 males (1.6–2.5 mm), 1 female (1.8 mm), 2 ovigerous females (2.3, 2.8 mm), CN 90C-691, coral, 2 Dec.1990. Lanmai — MBM 150274, 3 males (3.3–4.3 mm), 3 ovigerous females (3.7–4.6 mm), intertidal coral, platform from dead coral, 9 Apr.1992. Xinying — MBM 150375, 4 males (2.6–3.3 mm), 2 females (2.3, 3.3 mm), 2 ovigerous females (3.5, 3.5 mm), CN 56-K033, 13–14 Jan.1956. Xincun Harbor — MBM 150277, 1 male (3.0 mm), 1 ovigerous female (4.0 mm), 1–5 m, DC, 26 Mar.1992; MBM 150278, 1 male (2.7 mm), 2 females (3.3, 4.1 mm), 2 ovigerous females (3.8, 3.9 mm), 17 m, DC, 26–27 Mar.1992. Sanya, Xiaodonghai — MBM 150124, 6 males (3.0– 3.3 mm), 1 ovigerous female (2.9 mm), CN CJ97C–240, DC, 5 Mar.1997. Sanya, Ximaozhou Island — MBM 150311, 1 male (2.6 mm), Ximaozhou, 19 Mar.1992. Sanya, Yalong Bay — MBM 150324, 2 males (3.0, 3.8 mm), 1 ovigerous female (2.4 mm), 6–11 m, DC, 25 Nov.1990. Sanya, Dadonghai — MBM 150329, 1 male (2.4 mm), CN CJ97C–585, 5– 9 m, 3 Dec.1997; MBM 150344, 2 males (2.5, 2.9 mm), 3 ovigerous females (2.5–3.3 mm), CN CJ97C-216, 4 Mar.1997; MBM 150346, 2 males (2.2, 2.2 mm), 1 female (2.7 mm), 1 ovigerous female (3.1 mm), CN CJ97C-193, dead coral, DC, 1 Mar.1997; MBM 150352, 2 males (3.0, 3.1 mm), 1 ovigerous female (2.6 mm), CN CJ972-353, 7– 10 m, DC, 21 Nov.1997; MBM 150336, 2 ovigerous females (2.9, 3.0 mm), CN CJ97C-212, 4 Mar.1997. Sanya, Yalong Bay, Yezhu Island — MBM 150273, 1 ovigerous female (3.0 mm), 9 m, living coral, 25 Mar.1992; MBM 150279, 2 males (3.2, 3.5 mm), 6–11 m, coral and crinoids, 19 Nov.1990; MBM 150281, 1 male (2.4 mm), CN 92C-221, 18 Mar.1992; MBM 150284, 1 male (2.2 mm), 4 ovigerous females (2.7–4.2 mm), CN 92C-242, CN 92C-243, DC, 19–21 Mar.1992; MBM 150287, 3 males (1.9–3.1 mm), 1 female (3.6 mm), 2 ovigerous females (3.0, 3.2 mm), 7 m, living Pocillopora sp., 22 Mar.1992; MBM 150322, 1 female (2.6 mm), 1 ovigerous female (3.1 mm), CN 90C-665, 24 Nov.1990. Weizhou Island, Beibu Gulf: MBM 150383, 1 ovigerous female (3.4 mm), North Harbor, 13 Apr.1978; MBM 150390, 2 males (3.7, 4.0 mm), Dongjiaoju, 12 Apr.1978; MBM 150391, 1 male (4.2 mm), 15 Apr.1978; MBM 150371, 1 male (3.3 mm), 1 ovigerous female (4.1 mm), 4 Apr.1978.

Distribution. Previously known from Cape Rachado ( Malacca), Gulf of Thailand, Singapore, Taiwan, Sorong Doom; low tide to 3.6 m. Now also known from South China Sea; intertidal to 17 m depth.

Remarks. Galathea coralliophilus Baba & Oh, 1990 is close to G. corallicola Haswell, 1882 and G. ohshimai Miyake & Baba, 1967 , in having two epigastric spines on the carapace, epipods present on the P1, and no extensor spine on the Mxp3 carpus. In addition to the differences noted by Macpherson (2008), G. coralliophilus can be distinguished from G. corallicola and G. ohshimai by the presence of both the scale-like ridges behind the anterior second transverse ridge and the feathered setae on the carapace and abdomen. Galathea coralliophilus is also distinguished from G. ohshimai by the Mxp3 merus that bears the distal flexor spine subequal to, instead of smaller than, the proximal flexor spine.

The specimens agree quite well with the original description and illustrations of Baba & Oh (1990). This is the first record for the species from the Chinese waters.

Figures

FIGURE 5. Galathea coralliophilus Baba & Oh, 1990, MBM 150273, ovigerous female. A, carapace and abdomen, dorsal view; B, left cephalic region, showing antennular and antennal peduncles, ventral view; C, endopod of left Mxp 3, distal segments omitted, lateral view; D, left P 1, dorsal view; E, right P 2, lateral view; F, right P 3, lateral view; G, right P 4, lateral view; H, sternal plastron; I, pterygostomian flap. Scales = 1 mm.