Crocydocinus vanuatu, Lee & Forges & Ng, 2019

Lee, Bee Yan, Forges, Bertrand Richer De & Ng, Peter K. L., 2019, Deep-sea spider crabs of the family Epialtidae MacLeay, 1838, from Papua New Guinea, with a redefinition of Tunepugettia Ng, Komai & Sato, 2017, and descriptions of two new genera (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura: Majoidea), Zootaxa 4619 (1), pp. 1-44 : 33-34

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.4619.1.1
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:CA6AEB18-2F97-449C-AE34-E1509DFFC841
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03C9AC69-1E4E-FF8B-649F-FA47B62FEE0D
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Crocydocinus vanuatu
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Crocydocinus vanuatu View in CoL n. sp.

( Figs. 14C View FIGURE 14 , 16C View FIGURE 16 , 17G View FIGURE 17 , 19 View FIGURE 19 E–H)

Rochinia aff. brevirostris — Richer de Forges & Ng 2013: 473 View in CoL , fig. 4A [not Hyastenus brevirostris Doflein, 1904 View in CoL ].

Material examined. Holotype: male (16.0 × 11.0 mm) ( ZRC 2011.1047 View Materials ), stn AT89, Big Bay , Espiritu Santo Island, Vanuatu, 630– 583 m, coll. SANTO 2006 Expedition, 13 October 2006.

Diagnosis. Carapace pyriform, covered with thick layer of setae, surface smooth when denuded ( Fig. 14C View FIGURE 14 ). Pseudorostral spines straight, thick, short, diverging, V-shaped. Supraorbital eave fused to carapace; pre-orbital angle blunt; postorbital lobe cup-like, fused with hepatic spine, base swollen. Carapace with regions defined; gastric region swollen; epibranchial region slight swell; posterior region with small granule medially ( Fig. 14C View FIGURE 14 ); 3 granules along lateral margin of carapace on margin of branchial region ( Fig. 17G View FIGURE 17 ). Antennal flagellum slightly longer than pseudorostral spines. Basal antennal article longer than broad, distal angle rounded. Buccal frame covered by third maxilliped. Pterygostomial region with 3 granules on outer margin ( Fig. 16C View FIGURE 16 ). Chelipeds slender, covered with setae except on fingers. Ambulatory legs slender, covered with layer of setae except on dactylus; P2 longest. Male tho- racic sternum depressed anteriorly; sternites 3 and 4 with concave surface, margin constricted with curved margin ( Fig. 16C View FIGURE 16 ). Male pleon broad triangular ( Fig. 16C View FIGURE 16 ). G1 straight, with distal tip sharp ( Fig. 19 View FIGURE 19 E–H).

Etymology. The species is named after the country from which the specimen was collected from. The name is used as a noun in apposition.

Remarks. Crocydocinus vanuatu n. sp. was identified as R. aff. brevirostris by Richer de Forges & Ng (2013) but they noted it differed from the Bay of Bengal specimen as illustrated by Griffin & Tranter (1986: fig. 57c) in several aspects. Comparison of the present material with the type specimen of C. brevirostris ( Doflein, 1904) comb. nov. ( Figs. 13B View FIGURE 13 , 15B View FIGURE 15 , 17B View FIGURE 17 ), revealed more differences, justifying treating them as two separate species. Crocydocinus vanuatu n. sp. lacks all the distinct large granules ( Fig. 14C View FIGURE 14 ) seen in C. brevirostris comb. nov. ( Fig. 13B View FIGURE 13 ); has only weak lateral branchial spines ( Fig. 14C View FIGURE 14 ) (versus distinct lateral branchial spines in C. brevirostris comb. nov.; Fig. 13B View FIGURE 13 ); and the basal antennal article has a straight outer margin ( Fig. 16C View FIGURE 16 ) (versus basal antennal article with slightly convex outer margin in C. brevirostris comb. nov.; Fig. 15B View FIGURE 15 ). Crocydocinus vanuatu n. sp. is only known from its type locality in Vanuatu.