Camatopsis valida, Ng, Peter K. L. & Castro, Peter, 2016

Ng, Peter K. L. & Castro, Peter, 2016, Revision of the family Chasmocarcinidae Serène, 1964 (Crustacea, Brachyura, Goneplacoidea), Zootaxa 4209 (1), pp. 1-182 : 45

Camatopsis valida n. sp.

( Figs. 7 G, H; 23H; 39I, J; 51E; 58E; 69G‒K; 90E)

Type material. Holotype male (3.6 × 4.9 mm) (MNHN-IU-2013-9067), Fiji, south of Viti Levu , MUSORSTOM 10, stn DW1362, 18°11.7’S, 178°35.5’E, 80‒89 m, 14.08.1998 .

Paratypes. 1 female (3.5 × 4.3 mm) (MNHN-IU-2013-9467), MUSORSTOM 10, Fiji, Bligh Water , stn CP1323, 17°16.10’S, 177°45.75’E, 143‒173 m, 0 7.08.1998.

Diagnosis. Carapace ( Fig. 7 G, H) subtrapezoidal, 1.2‒1.3 wider than long; front bilobed, with shallow median cleft; anterolateral margins arcuate, minutely granular with granules higher along lateral margins, without distinct lobes or teeth. Eye peduncle ( Fig. 23 H) filling orbit, short, slightly mobile; cornea reduced, with reduced pigmentation. Epistome ( Fig. 23 H), semicircular median lobe with deep median fissure, semicircular lateral margins. Third maxilliped ( Fig. 69 G) merus circular, ischium subquadrate, slightly longer than merus. Proportionally short ambulatory legs ( Fig. 7 G, H); P5 merus 0.7 cl. Chelipeds ( Figs. 7 G, H; 39I, J) subequal in length, heteromorphic in males. Major chela of holotype male ( Fig. 39 I) with thick propodus, nearly triangular in dorsal view, cutting margins without distinct teeth except distal end of pollex overlapping dactylus. Minor chela of both sexes ( Fig. 39 J) with cutting margin of pollex having few teeth. Inner margin of cheliped carpus smooth. Fused thoracic sternites 1, 2 ( Fig. 51 E) triangular, proportionally narrow, long. Male pleon ( Figs. 51 E; 58E) with proportionally short telson. G1 ( Fig. 69 H‒J) conspicuously short, stout, distal segment curved outwards with short to long spinules. G2 ( Fig. 69 K) about 3/4 G1 length, slightly curved, slender, short, straight distal segment. Female pleon with lateral margins of somites strongly convex; telson proportionally short. Sterno-pleonal cavity of female ( Fig. 90 E) moderately deep, vulvae relatively close together.

Etymology. The name is derived from the Latin validus for “stout” alluding to the relatively stocky G1 of the species.

Remarks. In addition to the characteristic G1 and distinctive male chela, the new species can be easily distinguished from C. leptomerus and C. rubida (which are also found in Fiji) by having a different carapace form: it is proportionately broader, and the gastric and branchial regions are lower and relatively less convex ( Fig. 7 G, H vs. Figs. 6; 8A–F). The carapace characters can easily distinguish between females, even if the G1 and cheliped characters cannot be used.

Distribution. Known only from Fiji. Depth: 80‒ 173 m.