Yaldwynopsis hawaiiana Ng & Eldredge, 2012

Ng, Peter K. L., Forges, Bertrand Richer De & Martin, Joel W., 2020, The Homolidae of the Hawaiian Islands, with notes on the taxonomy of Moloha major (Kubo, 1936) (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura), Zootaxa 4809 (2), pp. 306-328 : 316-319

Yaldwynopsis hawaiiana Ng & Eldredge, 2012

( Fig. 2 C–E)

Homala japonica — Clarke 1972: 16 (not Homola japonica Parisi, 1915 ).

Paromola spinimana — Titgen 1988: 144.

Yaldwynopsis spinimanus — Guinot & Richer de Forges 1995: 439; Castro 2011: 36; Garassino 2009: 4, 39 (not Paromola spinimana Griffin, 1965 )

Yaldwynopsis hawaiiana Ng & Eldredge, 2012: 30 , figs. 1A, 2, 3, 5A, B, 6A–F.

Material examined. Hawaiian Islands: Holotype female (45.3 × 40.8 mm) ( BPBM S7866 ), collection number 69-10-12, Barbers Point, off Kane‘ohe, O‘ahu, in shrimp trap, 293 m, coll. T. Clarke, 9–10 November 1970. Others: 1 female (51.0 × 46.4 mm) (LACM-MBC-5664), reef slope, FFS-0166, DRS-13, BAIT-2, carrying gorgonian, 23.712°N 166.352°W– 23.712°N 166.351°W, NWI, French Frigate Shoals, NWI, 255– 236 m, baited trap, coll. J. Martin, K. Coontz, E. Soto & T. Lotufo, 23 October 2006 (photograph voucher JM0211 ).

Remarks. Long regarded as monotypic, Richer de Forges & Ng (2007) revised Yaldwynopsis , restricting the type species to New Zealand and referring specimens from Japan, Philippines, Taiwan, and French Polynesia to two new species, Y. saguili and Y. guinotae , respectively (see Guinot & Richer de Forges 1995). An apparently undescribed species of Yaldwynopsis was reported by Poore et al. (2008: 38) from the continental waters of Australia, 205– 210 m. Yaldwynopsis hawaiiana was described from one poorly preserved female from O‘ahu by Ng & Eldredge (2012). The present specimen agrees well with the diagnostic characters described by Ng & Eldredge (2012), notably in the presence of two distinct spines on the P5 merus.

The single animal collected at French Frigate Shoals was carrying a small specimen of gorgonian in its fifth pereopod; the crab is unfortunately missing three pereopods. The life colours of Y. hawaiiana are figured here for the first time ( Fig. 2 C–E) and in general, it agrees with that of Y. saguili (see Richer de Forges & Ng 2007: fig. 8A).

Distribution. Western Pacific Ocean, New Zealand, French Polynesia, Hawaiian Islands, 15-183 m; one record as subtidal being very doubtful (see Castro 2011)

Figures

FIGURE 2. Colour in life. A, Moloha major, male (78.1 × 71.6 mm), JM0095 (LACM-MBC-5564); B, M. major, male (60.3 × 52.4 mm), JM0043 (ZRC 2019.1109). C–E, Yaldwynopsis hawaiiana, female (51.0 × 46.4 mm) carrying gorgonian, JM0211 (LACM-MBC-5664). A–C, overall dorsal view; D, left cheliped and front; E, outer view of left chela.All from Hawai’i.