Nanosesarma sarii Naderloo & Türkay, 2009

Naderloo, Reza, 2011, Grapsoid crabs (Decapoda: Brachyura: Thoracotremata) of the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, Zootaxa 3048, pp. 1-43 : 18-22

Nanosesarma sarii Naderloo & Türkay, 2009

( Figs. 8 a–g, 9a, 11a, 12a)

Nanosesarma sarii Naderloo & Türkay, 2009: 2912 , figs. 1, 2, 3.

Nanosesarma (Nanosesarma) minimum — Tirmizi & Ghani 1996: 159, figs. 61 [not Sesarma minutum De Man, 1887 ]. Nanosesarma minutum — Jones 1996a: 160, pl. 46 [not Sesarma minutum De Man, 1887 ]. — Apel 2001: 118, 119 [not Sesarma minutum De Man, 1887 ].

Type locality. Bandar-Abbas, Iran, Persian Gulf.

Material examined. Holotype: PERSIAN GULF, Iran: 1 male ( SMF 34376), muddy bank of tidal water channel, under stone, behind Airport, Bandar-Abbas, 27° 47'N, 56° 24'E, coll. M. Türkay & R. Naderloo, 0 7.01.2008.

Paratypes: 23 males, 11 females ( ZUTC Brach1151), the same locality as holotype; 4 males, 8 females (4 ovig.) ( ZUTC Brach1152), muddy substrate with planted mangroves, fisheries jetty, Bandar-Mahshahr, Khuzestan, 30°28'N, 49°11'E, coll. R. Naderloo & A. Kazemi, 16.04.2006; 9 males, 12 females ( ZUTC Brach1153), oyster bank and muddy-sand, Mahtabi, Hormozgan, 26°46'N, 55°20'E, coll. R. Naderloo, 25.04.2008; 14 males, 4 females (2 ovig.) ( ZUTC Brach1154), rocky bed, Basaeedu, Qeshm I., 26°36'N, 55°16'E, coll. R. Naderloo & A. Kazemi, 07.05.2008; 3 males ( ZUTC Brach1155), muddy-sandy shore, Bandar-Khamir, Hormozgan, 26°28'N, 55°35'E, coll. R. Naderloo & A. Kazemi, 7.06.2006; 4 males, 4 females (3 ovig.) ( ZUTC Brach1156), muddy substrate on creek bank, Park-Saheli, Delvar, Bushehr, 28°54'N, 51°89'E, coll. R. Naderloo & A. Kazemi, 11.04.2006; 2 males, 2 females (ovig.) ( ZUTC Brach1157), rocky with dead coral partly covered with algae, Bandar-Dayyer, Bushehr, 27°14'N, 51°16'E, coll. R. Naderloo & A. Kazemi, 12.04.2006; 1 male ( ZUTC Brach1158), sandy-rocky, Bandargah, Bushehr, 28°49'N, 50°54'E, coll. R. Naderloo & A. Kazemi, 13.04.2006; 13 males, 11 females (7 ovig.) ( SMF 34377), sandy-rocky with dead corals, Zeytun (olive) park, Qeshm I., 27°11'N, 56°24'E, coll. M. Türkay & R. Naderloo, 08.01.2008; 10 males, 14 females ( SMF 34378), 2 km east of desalination centre, Qeshm I., 26°56'N, 55°47'E, coll. M. Türkay & R. Naderloo, 15.01.2008; 26 males, 17 females (ovig.) ( ZUTC Brach1158), muddy bank of creek, artificial rocky structure, Park-Saheli, Bandar-Emam, 30° 28'N, 49° 04'E, coll. R. Naderloo & H. Salehi, 21.05.2008. GULF OF OMAN, Iran: 1 male, 1 female (ovig.) ( SMF 34379), muddysand with dead corals, behind Shahid Beheshti Jetty, Chabahar, 30° 10'N, 50° 05'E, coll. A. Sari & R. Naderloo, 22.10.2006.

Others: PERSIAN GULF, Iran: 1 female, 2 juv. ( SMF 37692), muddy flat, 3 km W. of Kuweii, Qeshm I., 26º 57'N, 56º 00'E, coll. R. Naderloo & M. Türkay, 13.01.2008; 1 female ( SMF 37693), sandy/cobble, Dustku, Qeshm I., 26º 31'N, 55º 21'E, coll. R. Naderloo & A. Kazemi, 07.05.2008; 12 males, 8 females ( SMF 37694), muddy-sand with shells, 2 km E. of desalination centre, Qeshm I., 26º 56'N, 55º 47'E, coll. R. Naderloo & M. Türkay, 15.01.2008; 2 males, 1 female ( SMF 37695), muddy-sand with stony patches, 3 km W. of Kuweii, Qeshm I., 26º 57'N, 56º 00'E, coll. R. Naderloo & A. Kazemi, 05.05.2008; 2 males, 1 female ( SMF 37696), sandy/rocky, W. of Kaveh Jetty, Qeshm I., 26º 56'N, 55º 58'E, coll. R. Naderloo & A. Kazemi, 06.05.2008; 6 males, 6 females ( SMF 37697), muddy-sand, Tula, Qeshm I., 26º 59'N, 56º 12'E, coll. R. Naderloo & M. Türkay, 13.01.2008; 8 males, 8 females ( SMF 37698), mangroves, Bandar-Khamir, 26º 28'N, 55º 35'E, coll. R. Naderloo, 31.12.2005; 1 male, 1 female ( SMF 37699), sandy/rocky, S. coast, Qeshm I., 26º 35'N, 55º 28'E, coll. R. Naderloo & A. Kazemi, 07.05.2008; 4 males, 4 females ( SMF 37700), rocky/cobble, Zeytun (olive) park beach, Qeshm I., 27º 11'N, 56º 24'E, coll. R. Naderloo & M. Türkay, 09.01.2008; 3 males, 2 females ( SMF 37701), muddy bank of creek, artificial rocky structure, Park-Saheli, Bandar-Emam, 30° 28'N, 49° 04'E, coll. R. Naderloo & H. Salehi, 21.05.2008; 3 males, 1 female, 1 juv. ( SMF 37702), sandy with stony patches, E. of Fajr Jetty, Qeshm I., 26º 58'N, 56º 15'E, coll. R. Naderloo & A. Kazemi, 05.05.2008; 2 females ( SMF 37703), coral bed covered with algae, Jofreh guard post, Bushehr, 28º 58'N, 50º 49'E, coll. R. Naderloo & H. Salehi, 24.05.2008; 4 males, 1 female, ( SMF 37704), sandy/rocky, 15 km E. of Bandar-Lengeh, Hormozgan, 26º 38'N, 55º 02'E, coll. R. Naderloo, 24.04.2008.

Redescription. Carapace square ( Figs. 8 a, 12a), slightly broader than long (CB/CL = 1.15), evenly convex, sparsely covered with short, plumose setae. Frontal edge sinuous, with 2 wide lobes, lobes convex, moderately produced; frontal edge serrated, slightly beaded upwards; frontal region gently flexed downwards. Regions well defined, gastric region defined by deep groove; cardiac region with shallow groove; small depression behind supraorbital margin; fine granules over upper surface of carapace, always 2 or more granules in row; 4 oblique granular ridges along lateral surface. Anterolateral margin with 2 teeth including exorbital angle, first broadly triangular; second small triangular, with pointed tip, lateral margin behind second tooth slightly convergent ( Fig. 8 a). Basal antennal segment long ( Fig. 8 b), reaching to middle of second segment.

Chelipeds subequal; inner margin of merus proximally crenulated; manus slightly swollen, outer surface ( Fig. 8 c) with large patch of dense setae, covering whole manus above lower row of granules, extending to proximal half of fingers; 3 rows of granules ( Fig. 8 d), concealed by patch of setae; lower one long, regularly granular; middle one short, with irregular large granules, subparallel to lower one; upper one short, with irregular granules, curving upwards distally; upper margin granular; inner surface of manus with granules on proximal part same as those on carapace. Movable finger tuberculated over most of upper surface; 6 relatively large granules proximally on outer surface ( Fig. 8 d); cutting edge with small various-size teeth; cutting edge of immovable finger with large prominent tooth on medial portion; chitinous apical part of fingers spoon-shaped.

Merus of walking legs with anterior margin weakly crenulated, with pointed subdistal tooth; posterior margin crenulated; posterodistal lobe denticulate, first denticle large, that of first, second legs particularly prominent, spiniform. Carpus of first, second, third legs with 2 distinct carinae on posterior surface, one on anterior surface, carpus of last walking leg without carina on posterior surface ( Fig. 8 e). Propodus with oblique carina on posterior face. Dactylus distinctly more than half as long as propodus; with 8–10 spines in 2 rows on posterior margin, 2 or 3 spines on anterior margin of last walking leg; last walking leg of female without any spine on anterior margin.

Male abdomen ( Fig. 8 g) elongately triangular; sixth somite slightly more than twice as broad as long, lateral margins converging; telson markedly elongate, about 1.6 times as long as broad.

G1 ( Figs 8 f, 9a) nearly straight, corneous distal part slightly directed outwards, genital opening distally on posterior surface, corneous part completely covered with long setae.

Female gonopore ( Fig. 8 h) with nearly long oval operculum on inner side, directing outward; outer margin of opening roundly expanded.

Remarks. Jones (1986a) first recorded this species (as Nanosesarma minutum De Man, 1887 ) from Kuwait and Apel (2001) recorded one badly damaged male (NHM) from the same region. Naderloo & Türkay (2009) described a new species of Nanosesarma from the Persian Gulf and synonymised the records of Jones (1986a) and Apel (2001). They also examined material (NHM 1985:512) from Karachi, Pakistan, and stated that material recorded as N. minutum by Tirmizi & Ghani (1996) is N. sarii . Nanosesarma minutum appears to have an eastern distribution from the eastern Indian Ocean to the West Pacific.

Nanosesarma sarii is closely related to N. minutum and N. jousseaumei , but is distinguished from them by a number of characters (see Naderloo & Türkay 2009). Two most distinct characters which allow identifying N. sarii from the two other congeners, especially from its sympatric species in the Persian Gulf, N. jousseaumei , are the presence of prominent granulations on the upper surface of the movable finger of the male cheliped, and a male abdomen with a markedly elongated sixth segment and telson ( Fig. 8 g). The limit of the eastern distribution of N. sarii has yet to be determined ( Naderloo & Türkay 2009).

Biology. Nanosesarma sarii is a small-size species (largest male CL = 8.77 mm, CB = 9.95 mm, largest female CL = 8.24 mm, CB = 9.21 mm) that inhabits sediments of a variety of sizes. It has a wide distribution in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, and was found at most surveyed sites. On rocky shores and cobble stones, as well on coral beds, this species could be found under small stones. In mangroves, it lives in small burrows among the pneumatophores, under decaying wood as well as in large dead shells. This species is common amongst shells in oyster banks, and also within the sediment in sheltered sandy mud-flats ( Naderloo & Türkay 2009). Little else still is known about its biology.

Colour. Live specimens with light brown carapace, darker brown on anterior part. Chelipeds, walking legs, and abdomen are lighter than carapace, sometimes with brown banding on the walking legs. Dark brown setae are on the outer surface of the manus of the chelipeds and on upper margin of propodus of the walking legs, giving a darker appearance to these parts ( Naderloo & Türkay 2009).

Regional records. PERSIAN GULF: Kuwait ( Jones 1986a; Apel 2001, both as Nanosesarma minutum ); Iran ( Naderloo & Türkay 2009). GULF OF OMAN: Iran ( Naderloo & Türkay 2009).

Geographical distribution. Northwestern Indian Ocean: Persian Gulf, Gulf of Oman.

Figures

FIGURE 8. Nanosesarma sarii Naderloo & Türkay, 2009, male holotype (SMF 34376): a – g; female paratype (ZUTC Brach 1151): h. a, posterior surface of carapace; b, basal segment of first and second antenna; c, cheliped of male, outer surface; d, cheliped of male, outer surface with detached setae patch; e, third walking leg of male (left); f, G 1, lateral surface (right); g, male abdomen; h, female gonopore (right).