Dromidiopsis lethrinusae ( Takeda & Kurata, 1976 )

Mclay, Colin L., 2001, Dynomenidae and Dromiidae (Decapoda, Brachyura) from Guam, Philippine Islands, Tonga and Samoa, Zoosystema 23 (4), pp. 807-856 : 822

Dromidiopsis lethrinusae ( Takeda & Kurata, 1976)

Sphaerodromia lethrinusae Takeda & Kurata, 1976: 118 , text fig. 1a-d.

Dromidiopsis lethrinusae – McLay 1993: 139: fig. 15e-f. MATERIAL EXAMINED. — Guam. Tanguisson Point, on dead Acropora , 13°27’N, 144°47’E, 11 m, 30.X.1979, coll. R. K. Kropp, 1 3.5 × 4.0 mm (compound ascidian cap) (UGI unregistered) (ZRC2000.2121). — Tanguisson Point, 14 m, on part live part dead Pocillopora elegans , 30.X.1979, coll. R. K. Kropp, 1 3.6 × 4.1 mm (UGI unregistered) (ZRC2000.2120).

SIZE. — Maximum size for males is cw= 11.9 mm and 17.2 mm for females. Both specimens from Guam are very small.

DEPTH AND HABITAT. — The specimens from Guam came from depths of 11 to 14 m, well within the known depth range of 8 to 45 m. D. lethrinusae is an inhabitant of shallow reefs. One of the Guam specimens was found on dead Acropora corals and the other was found on a partlive Pocillopora elegans colony. Thus far, D. lethrinusae is only known to carry compound ascidians as camouflage.

DISTRIBUTION. — D. lethrinusae was already known from Japan, New Caledonia and the Philippine Islands and is now known from Guam, Mariana Islands.

DISCUSSION

Dromidiopsis lethrinusae has been re-described and figured by McLay (1993: 139: fig. 15e-f).