Agononida incerta

Poore, Gary C. B. & Andreakis, Nikos, 2012, The Agononida incerta species complex unravelled (Crustacea: Decapoda: Anomura: Munididae), Zootaxa 3492, pp. 1-29 : 5

Key to species of the Agononida incerta complex

This key relies on only two features: the shape of the anterolateral slope of the telson and the numbers of dactylar robust setae on pereopods 2–4. Both vary between individuals, on the basis of sex, size and randomly. Geography can be helpful but species do co-occur in Western Australia.

1. Anterolateral margin of telson of male with a solid thickened tongue-like lobe protruding posterolaterally and dorsally, ornamented with parallel ridges; of female oblique, sinuous, overlapping transverse suture as a thin short projection ( Figs 2 M, N)......................................................................................... A. rubrizonata

– Anterolateral margin of telson never protruding in this way................................................... 2

2. Pereopods 2–4 dactyli with 37, 17, 10 robust setae along flexor margins respectively (median values!); anterolateral margin of telson concave and smooth over anterior 70%, remainder prominent, widest well anterior to transverse suture and narrower adjacent to transverse suture ( Figs 2 H, I); transverse broad orange bands subdistally on meri of pereopods 1–4, proximally on carpi of pereopods 1–4, subdistally on carpus of pereopod 1, proximally on propodus of pereopod 1, at propodus-dactylus articulation of pereopod 1, and subdistally on propodi of pereopods 2–4 A. indocerta

– Pereopods 2–4 dactyli with at most 20, 6, 3 robust setae along flexor margins respectively (rarely more); anterolateral margin of telson not as above; evenly coloured or with bands distal (not subdistal) on pereopodal meri........................ 3

3. Pereopod 2 dactylus with 4 (rarely 2–8) robust setae along flexor margin; pereopodal dactyli 8–9 times as long as basal width............................................................................................ A. auscerta

– Pereopod 2 dactylus with at least 10 (as many as 22) robust setae along flexor margin; pereopodal dactyli 5–6 times as long as basal width........................................................................................... 4

4. Pereopod 2 dactylus with 12 (rarely 10–18) and pereopod 3 dactylus with 1–4 robust setae along flexor margins; anterolateral margin of telson with smooth proximal concavity over anterior 70% that ends at sharp step, remainder truncate-convex, margin oblique anterior to transverse suture, with crenellate margin ( Figs 2 K, L)................................ A. norfocerta

– Pereopod 2 dactylus with 20 (rarely 4–30) and pereopod 3 dactylus with usually 6 (rarely 1–17) robust setae along flexor margins; anterolateral margin of telson sinuous or with 2 notches................................................... 5

5. Anterolateral margin of telson sinusoidal, concave and smooth over anterior 60%, remainder strongly and evenly convex, margin crenellate, rarely with obvious notch ( Figs 2 D, E)................................................. A. africerta

– Anterolateral margin of telson quasi-3-lobed, middle lobe largest, with sharp edge, deflected dorsally, separated from weak anterior lobe by shallow concavity and from more rounded thicker posterior lobe by deep notch, exaggerated in males, finely crenellate over posterior two-thirds in larger individuals ( Figs 2 A–C).................................... A. incerta

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.