Agononida rubrizonata Macpherson & Baba, 2009

Poore, Gary C. B. & Andreakis, Nikos, 2012, The Agononida incerta species complex unravelled (Crustacea: Decapoda: Anomura: Munididae), Zootaxa 3492, pp. 1-29 : 24-27

Agononida rubrizonata Macpherson & Baba, 2009

( Figs 2 M, N, 3E, F, 12)

? Munida incerta . — Baba 1994: 12.

Munida incerta form-a. — Ahyong & Poore 2004: 8. Agononida sp. aff. incerta . — Poore et al. 2008: 18.

Agononida rubrizonata Macpherson & Baba, 2009: 60 –63, figs 2F, 3, 4.

Material examined. TAIWAN, Su-ao, 0 9.03.2005, NTOU M01567 (male paratype, cl 15 mm); 10.03.2005 NTOU M01570 (6 male paratypes, cl 15–17 mm, 3 female paratypes, 2 ovigerous females, cl 17 mm).

PHILIPPINES. 15°59.45ʹN 121°50.68ʹE, 422–431 m, 20.05.2007 (stn CP2658), NTOU M01568 (10 males, 18 females). 15°58.75ʹN 121°50.36ʹE, 418–456 m, 0 2.06.2007 (stn CP2744), NTOU M01569 (2 males, cl 17 mm, 7 juveniles).

AUSTRALIA. Western Australia. Ashmore L30 transect, stn SS05/2007/189, 12°28.8ʹS 123°25ʹE, 397–405 m, NMV J60836 (3); stn SS05/2007/192, 12°31.7ʹS, 123°25.6ʹE, 401–404 m, NMV J56083 (8). North West Shelf, 240 km NW of Port Hedland, 18°06ʹS, 117°45ʹE, 500 m, 0 7 Apr 1982 (stn SO 2/82/31), AM P.67305 (5). 250 km NW of Port Hedland, 18°40ʹS 116°42ʹE, 600 m, 0 4 Apr 1982 (stn SO 2/82/19-20), AM P.67302 (1). Dampier L20 transect, stn SS05/2007/028, 19°43.5ʹS 115°20.6ʹE, 428– 415 m, NMV J56407 (4); stn SS05/2007/028, 19°43.5ʹS 115°20.6ʹE, 428– 415 m, NMV J60839 (4); stn SS05/2007/034, 19°43.7ʹS 115°21.2ʹE, 389–423 m, NMV J57292 (6 males, cl 17–28 mm, 3 females, cl 23–26 mm, 6 ovigerous females, 20-23 mm). Onslow L19 transect, stn SS05/ 2007/015, 20°7.96ʹS 114°58.7ʹE, 415–470 m, NMV J56394 (2). off Ningaloo North, stn SS10/2005/165, 21°58.2ʹS 113°47.4ʹE, 373–382 m, NMV J55028 (1). off Ningaloo South, stn SS10/2005/149, 22°0.23ʹS 113°40.7ʹE, 658–754 m, NMV J55026 (1); stn SS10/2005/151, 22°4.31ʹS, 113°45.3ʹE, 399– 387 m, NMV J55030 (6), NMV J55144 (11); stn SS10/2005/148, 22°4.36ʹS 113°45.3ʹE, 396– 391 m, NMV J55027 (1). off Point Cloates, stn SS10/ 2005/137, 22°50.8ʹS 113°20.2ʹE, 420–430 m, NMV J55029 (5).

New South Wales, NE of North Solitary Island, 29°32ʹS 153°48ʹE, 412 m, 0 2 Aug 1978 (stn K 78-16-03), AM P.31496 (1). SE of Yamba, 29°37ʹS 153°47ʹE, 476, 0 7 Nov 1978 (stn K78-23-15), AM P.31495 (5). SE of Clarence River, 29°41ʹS, 29°32ʹS 153°45ʹE, 153°47ʹE, 406–414 m, 10 Oct 1975 (stn K 75-09-04), AM P.21690 (1), AM P.21761 (1). NE of North Solitary Island, 29°47ʹS 153°44ʹE, 439 m, 0 2 Aug 1978 (stn K 78-16-07), AM P.31427 (1). E of Wooli, 29°52ʹS 153°43ʹE, 512 m, 23 Aug 1977 (stn K 77-13-10), AM P.67306 (1). NE of Sugarloaf Point, 32°15ʹS 153°02ʹE, 457 m, 0 5 Apr 1978 (stn K 78-03-04), AM P.42274 (1). Approx. 65km E of Sydney, 33°50ʹS 151°55ʹE, 457 m, 17 Feb 1997, AM P.49277 (1). E of Batemans Bay, 35°44ʹS 35°46ʹS, 150°37ʹE, 150°35ʹE, 275 m, 27 Apr 1977 (stn K 77-03-04), AM P.31486 (1).

Tasmania, 42°07ʹS, 148°04ʹE, 450 m, 30 Jun 1984, stn S 03/84/12), AM P.67304 (9).

Diagnosis. Telson anterolateral margin in male extending broadly to a small notch, with a solid thickened tongue-like lobe protruding posterolaterally and dorsally, ornamented with parallel ridges. Pereopodal 2–4 dactyli 7.0–7.6 times as long as greatest basal width; robust setae on dactylus of pereopod 2 number 3–13 (low numbers exceptional, median 10); pereopod 3, 1–6 (median 3); pereopod 4, 1–3 (median 1). Pereopod 4 merus without spines proximally on upper face.

Descriptions. Male. Based on NMV J57292 (cl 27.6 mm). Carapace 0.9 times as long as greatest width. Frontal margin inclined posteriorly at 12 degrees from midline. Rostrum spiniform, 0.38 length of carapace (both measured from base of supraocular spines); supraocular spine 0.62 length of rostrum (both measured from base of rostrum). Thoracic sternite 3 0.46 width of sternite 4; midlength of sternal plastron (sternites 4–7) 0.6 width of sternite 7.

Eyes with maximum corneal diameter 1 basal width of supraocular spines. Maxilliped 3 ischium 0.6 times as long as merus.

Pereopod 1 (cheliped) of typical adult form, covered with flat squamae fringed with short setae; 4.6 times as long as carapace, merus 1.3 times as long as carapace, carpus 0.6 times as long as merus, propodus 1.7 times as long as merus, fingers 0.54 times as long as total propodus length. Pereopod 1 (cheliped) merus with 1+5 spines along upper margin, with 1+3 spines along mesial face, with 1+12 spines along lateral face, with distal spine only on lower margin; with 1+2 spines on upper margin, with 1+2 spines on mesial face, with 1+0 spines on lateral face; propodus oval in cross-section, spines with marginal spines, with 3 spines on upper margin, with 1+1 spines along mesial face, with 1+0 spine on lateral face near base of dactylus, propodus with 1–3 oblique spines along lower margin plus 1–3 spines on lower lateral face; dactylus cutting edge with ridge of c. 50 uneven teeth, few more prominent than others.

Minor pereopod 1 not differentiated.

Pereopod 2 3.4 times carapace length, merus 1.4 times carapace length, 8.5 times a long as greatest width, carpus 0.25 times as long as merus, propodus 0.6 times as long as merus, dactylus 0.6 times as long as propodus; merus with 1+9 spines along extensor margin, with 1+6 spines along flexor margin; carpus with 1+0 spines along extensor margin; dactylus evenly curved over distal two-thirds, 7 times as long as greatest basal width, dactylus with row of 4–6 robust setae distal to heel of flexor margin.

Pereopod 3 3.4 times carapace length, merus 1.3 times carapace length, 8 times a long as greatest width, carpus 0.28 times as long as merus, propodus 0.7 times as long as merus, dactylus 0.6 times as long as propodus; merus with 1+14 spines along extensor margin, with 1+7 spines along flexor margin; carpus with 1+1 spines along extensor margin; dactylus evenly curved over distal two-thirds, 7.6 times as long as greatest basal width, dactylus with row of 1–3 robust setae distal to heel of flexor margin.

Pereopod 4 3.3 times carapace length, merus 1.2 times carapace length, 7.4 times a long as greatest width, carpus 0.3 times as long as merus, propodus 0.7 times as long as merus, dactylus 0.5 times as long as propodus; merus with 1+13 spines along extensor margin, with 1+7 spines along flexor margin, merus without spines proximally on upper face; carpus with 1+1 spines along extensor margin; dactylus of similar curvature to dactyli 2 and 3, distally less setose, 7.4 times as long as greatest basal width, dactylus with 1–3 robust setae distal to heel of flexor margin.

Ovigerous female. Based on NMV J57292 (cl 26.8 mm). Telson anterolateral margin sinuous, overlapping transverse suture as a thin short projection; lateral margin evenly convex.

Pereopod 1 (cheliped) 3.3 times as long as carapace, merus 0.9 times as long as carapace.

Pereopod 2 dactylus with row of 8 robust setae distal to heel of flexor margin.

Pereopod 3 6.3 times as long as greatest basal width, dactylus with row of 1 robust setae distal to heel of flexor margin.

Pereopod 4 5.6 times as long as greatest basal width, dactylus with 1 robust seta(e) distal to heel of flexor margin.

Colour. Carapace and abdominal somites 1–4 generally orange; pereopods pale orange with adjacent transverse white and bright red bands distally on meri of pereopods 1–4 and distally on propodi of pereopods 2–4.

Variation. Among the ten specimens examined the numbers of robust setae distal to the heel on the flexor margin of the dactyli of pereopods 2–4 vary, even from one side to the other: pereopod 2, 3–13 (low numbers exceptional, median 10); pereopod 3, 1–6 (median 3); and pereopod 4, 1–3 (median 1).

Distribution. Taiwan, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, Loyalty Islands, eastern (to 42°S) and western margins (to 23°S) of Australia; 275– 754 m.

Remarks. Agononida rubrizonata is the most easily recognised of this species complex. The dominant lobes on the anterolateral margin of the telson of males are obvious but even in the smallest females and juveniles this margin ends posteriorly in an acute overlapping projection unlike in any other species. The differences in the male telson and colour patterns between this species and A. incerta were first noted by Baba (1994) in a collection from around 500 m off northern Queensland and later by Ahyong & Poore (2004) in more southern Australian samples. Macpherson & Baba (2009) described the species in detail but many of the features they dealt with are typical of all species of this complex. They gave ranges for many ratios that encompass the data given above; differences may be attributable to the way measurements were made. They noted red bands distally on the merus and proximally on the propodus and fingers of pereopod 1. These are not especially apparent on Fig. 3 E of a specimen from the type locality, Taiwan, reproduced here. These bands are not visible in the Western Australian material ( Fig 3 F but otherwise colour bands on the meri and propodi are comparable. Macpherson & Baba (2009) did not remark on the white bands, more obvious in the Australian than Taiwanese specimens.

Agononida rubrizonata would appear to be sister species to A. auscerta on the basis of the COI data. Genetic differences were not detected among specimens from material from Taiwan, Philippines and Western Australia.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Telsons of species of the Agononida incerta complex, with details of the anterolateral margin at twice scale. Scale bar = 10 mm. Agononida incerta: A, male, cl 32 mm, Western Australia, NMV J 56025. B, ovigerous female, cl 24 mm, Western Australia, NMV J 55021. C, supermale, cl 38 mm, Philippines, ZMUC CRU 11555. Agononida africerta: D, male, cl 15.1 mm, MNHN IU- 2008 - 10437. E, female, cl 13.8 mm, MNHN IU- 2008 - 10438. Agononida auscerta: F, male, cl 22 mm, NMV J 62124. G, ovigerous female, cl 24.3 mm, NMV J 55995. Agononida indocerta: H, supermale, cl 30.3 mm, NMV J 62081. I, male, cl 27 mm, NMV J 57295. J, ovigerous female, cl 25 mm, NMV J 57295. Agononida norfocerta: K, male, cl 30.7 mm, MNHN IU- 2011 - 592. L, female, cl 27 mm, NMV J 62814. Agononida rubrizonata: M, male, cl 28.2 mm, Western Australia, NMV J 57292. N, ovigerous female, Western Australia, cl 25 mm, NMV J 57292.

FIGURE 3. Colour photographs of living animals. A, Agononida incerta, Nanfang-ao, Taiwan, T. - Y. Chan (from Baba et al., 2009). B, A. incerta, NMV J 55021, Karen Gowlett-Holmes. C, A. africerta, MNHN IU- 2008 - 10192, T. - Y. Chan. D, A. indocerta, Western Australia, D. Evans (from Jones & Morgan, 2002). E, A. rubrizonata, paratype, Taiwan, T. - Y. Chan. F, A. rubrizonata, Western Australia, NMV J 55029, Karen Gowlett-Holmes.