Oxypleurodon, Miers, 1885

Lee, Bee Yan, Forges, Bertrand Richer De & Ng, Peter K. L., 2019, Deep-sea spider crabs of the family Epialtidae MacLeay, 1838, from Papua New Guinea, with a redefinition of Tunepugettia Ng, Komai & Sato, 2017, and descriptions of two new genera (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura: Majoidea), Zootaxa 4619 (1), pp. 1-44 : 12

Oxypleurodon sp. 2

( Fig. 4 A–C)

Material examined. 1 ovigerous female (14.0 × 9.7 mm) (MNHN-IU- 2011-2802), 1 ovigerous female (13.3 × 9.1 mm) ( ZRC 2018.1479, ex. MNHN-IU- 2011-2802), stn CP3646, 06°45’S 147°49’E, 460–485 m, coll. BIOPAPUA Expedition, 24 August 2010.

Remarks. The overall carapace morphology of O. sp. 2 is similar to O. stimpsoni . Compared to a topotypic specimen of O. stimpsoni , however, the differences are obvious: the branchial plates are sharp anteriorly in O. stimpsoni ( Lee et al. 2017: fig. 2) (versus rounded with an indented anterior border in Oxypleurodon sp. 2; Fig. 4A ); the cardiac plate is ovate in O. stimpsoni ( Lee et al. 2017: fig. 2) (versus with indented lateral expansions making it elliptical-shaped with irregular distal edges in Oxypleurodon sp. 2; Fig. 4A ); and there is only one slender ovate mesogastric plate in O. stimpsoni ( Lee et al. 2017: fig. 2) (versus with one ovate mesogastric plate, which is constricted in the lower part and with two large gastric granules in Oxypleurodon sp. 2; Fig. 4A ). In O. alisae n. sp., the pseudorostral spines are long with both spines appressed ( Figs. 1C , 2A ) (versus distinctly bifid in Oxypleurodon sp. 2; Fig. 4A ); and the branchial plate is more deeply indented in Oxypleurodon sp. 2 ( Fig. 4A ) than in O. alisae n. sp. ( Figs. 1C , 2A ).

It is likely that these specimens belong to a new species of Oxypleurodon , but with only two female specimens on hand, more material, in particular male specimens, should be acquired before the species is formally described.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Color in life. A, Griffinia takedai Richer de Forges & Ng, 2012, male (13.6 × 10.2 mm) (MNHN-IU-2013-3021), Papua New Guinea; B, Laubierinia carinata (Griffin & Tranter, 1986), male (24.7 × 16.0 mm) (MNHN-IU-2014-8128), Papua New Guinea; C, Oxypleurodon alisae n. sp., holotype, male (14.0 × 9.3 mm) (MNHN-IU-2015-227), Papua New Guinea; D, O. papuense n. sp., holotype, male (18.3 × 12.6 mm) (MNHN-IU-2015-228), Papua New Guinea; E, O. sp. 1, juvenile male (6.0 × 4.2 mm) (ZRC 2018.1478, ex. MNHN-IU-2017-11835), Papua New Guinea; F, Stegopleurodon planirostrum Richer de Forges & Ng, 2009, male (14.0 × 9.2 mm) (MNHN-IU-2015-64), Papua New Guinea.

FIGURE 2. Oxypleurodon alisae n. sp., holotype, male (14.0 × 9.3 mm) (MNHN-IU-2015-227), Papua New Guinea. A, overall dorsal view; B, overall ventral view; C, lateral view of carapace.

FIGURE 4. Oxypleurodon sp. 2, ovigerous female (14.0 × 9.7 mm) (MNHN-IU-2011-2802), Papua New Guinea. A, overall dorsal view; B, overall ventral view; C, lateral view of carapace.