Miersiella haswelli ( Miers, 1886 )

Ahyong, Shane T., 2008, Deepwater crabs from seamounts and chemosynthetic habitats off eastern New Zealand (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura), Zootaxa 1708 (1), pp. 1-72 : 61

Miersiella haswelli ( Miers, 1886)

( Figs 5F , 29E–F )

Medaeus haswelli 1886: 117 , pl. 11: fig. 2 [type locality: Twofold Bay , New South Wales, Australia; 274.5 m]. — McNeill 1953: 94–95, pl. 7: figs 3–4.

Miersiella haswelli . — Guinot 1967: 359–362, figs 17–20. — Davie 1997: 365; 2002: 536. — Poore 2004: 472, fig. 150f. — Takeda & Webber 2006: 208–210, fig. 9B.

Material examined. Mahina Knoll: NIWA 6760 , 2 males (cl 6.7–7.8 mm), 2 females (cl 6.9–7.1 mm; larger ovigerous), 37°21.34–21.29’S, 177°05.98–06.22’E, 260–280 m, TAN0413/130, 14 Nov 2004 .

Remarks. Takeda & Webber (2006) recently reported M. haswelli from the Kermadec Islands at depths of 135– 201 m. As reported by McNeill (1953), the granulation on the outer surface of the palms is more rugose in the females than in males. The present specimens, the first from off mainland New Zealand, were collected together with Pycnoplax meridionalis ( Rathbun, 1923) , and Mathildella mclayi sp. nov.

Distribution. Northeastern Indian Ocean, Christmas Island, Philippines, Japan, New Caledonia, southeastern Australia, the Kermadec Islands, Norfolk Ridge and now from off mainland New Zealand; 80– 527 m.

Figures

FIGURE 5. A, Trichopeltarion fantasticum Richardson & Dell, 1964, male, cl 58.1 mm (NIWA 16492). B, Ovalipes molleri (Ward, 1933), male, cl 75.6 mm (NMNZ Cr7223). C, Gandalfus puia McLay, 2007, male holotype, cl 15.5 mm, cw 24.3 mm (NIWA 27855). D, Miersiograpsus australiensis Türkay, 1978, male, cl 11.4 mm, cw 11.8 mm (NIWA 29390). E, Xenograpsus ngatama McLay, 2007, male, cl 25.9 mm, cw 27.4 mm (NIWA 27854). F, Miersiella haswelli (Miers, 1886), male, cl 7.8 mm (NIWA 6760). C, E, after McLay (2007)

FIGURE 29. A, Pycnoplax meridionalis (Rathbun, 1923), male, cl 20.9 mm (NIWA 29658). B, Pycnoplax victoriensis (Rathbun, 1923), male, cl 10.4 mm (NIWA 6736). C, Mathildella mclayi sp. nov., female paratype, cl 11.9 mm (NIWA 6769). D, Neopilumnoplax nieli sp. nov., male paratype, cl 15.0 mm (NIWA 29651). E, Miersiella haswelli (Miers, 1886), male, cl 7.8 mm (NIWA 6760). F, Miersiella haswelli (Miers, 1886), ovigerous female, cl 7.1 mm (NIWA 6760). Photo credits: C. Marriot (A, D), R. Stewart (B–C, E–F).