Macrophthalmus sinuspersici Naderloo & Türkay, 2010

Naderloo, Reza, Türkay, Michael & Apel, Michael, 2011, Brachyuran crabs of the family Macrophthalmidae Dana, 1851 (Decapoda: Brachyura: Macrophthalmidae) of the Persian Gulf, Zootaxa 2911, pp. 1-42 : 30-33

Macrophthalmus sinuspersici Naderloo & Türkay, 2010

( Figs. 17 e, f, 18a–i)

Macrophthalmus boscii — Crosnier 1965: 134, figs. 244. — Tirmizi & Ghani 1996: 118, fig. 45 [not Macrophthalmus boscii Audouin, 1826 ].

Macrophthalmus sinuspersici — Naderloo & Türkay 2010: 1, figs. 3c–d, 4c–d, 5a–f, 6a–g, 7a–c.

Type locality. Persian Gulf

Material examined. Holotype: 1 male (CL = 7.33, CB = 9.09 mm) ( SMF 36904), Persian Gulf, Hormozgan, 35 km E. of Gavbandi, Moghdan Village, 27º 02'N, 53º 16'E, rocky/sandy, 12.07.2006, R. Naderloo.

Paratypes. Persian Gulf: 2 males, 1 female ( ZUTC Brach1191), locality information same as holotype; 1 male, 2 females ( SMF 38349), Qeshm I., south coast, 10 km E. of Salakh, 26º 40 'N, 55º 44 'E, rocky bed, 11.05.2008, R. Naderloo & A. Kazemi; 1 male ( SMF 36905), Qeshm I., 2 km E. of Namakdan, 26º 38'N, 55º 36'E, sandy rocky, 0 8.04.2008, R. Naderloo & A. Kazemi. Gulf of Oman: 2 males ( ZUTC Brach1194), Chabahar Bay, coast of Portuguese castle, 25º 19'N, 60º 37 'E, rocky, cobble beach, 17.11.2005, R. Naderloo & A. Kazemi; 1 female ( SMF 36906), Baluchistan, Djod village, 26º 57'N, 56º 00'E, rocky bed, 23.10.2006, R. Naderloo & A. Kazemi; 3 males, 2 females (ovig.) ( ZUTC Brach1228), Djod Village, 25º 27'N, 59º 30'E, rocky bed, sandy beach, 21.11.2005, A. Sari, R. Naderloo & A. Kazemi.

Other material. Gulf of Aden: 2 males, 2 females ( SMF 24496), Djibouti, Ras Siyahn, 12º 28.590'N, 43º 18.889'E, mangroves (lagoon), 24.06.1996; 10 males, 5 females (3 ovig.), ( MNHN B10713) Perim and Obock, 1897, Jousseaume, det. Nobili, 1905 (as Euplax boscii ); 2 males, 1 female ( SMF 25149), Djibouti, Djibouti City, Plage de Triton, under stone, 18.03.1987, A. Allspach, G. Fischer & M. Türkay.

Red Sea: 1 male, 3 females (NHM 1984:446), Egypt, Al-Hurghada.

East Africa: 22 males, 18 females (5 ovig.), 9 juv. (NHM 1973:71), Dar Es Salam, Tanganyika, 1971-2, R.G. Hartnoll; 2 males (NHM 1951:9:13:14-15), Mozambique, Maputo Bay (formerly) Delagoa Bay, O.S. Taltelsall; 2 males (NHM 1964.7.10.78), Dar Es Salam, J. Gordon; 6 males, 9 females (4 ovig.) (NHM 2006- 1854-1869 16), Aldabra, N. side of Moustique, Lagoon, sand flat, under blue green algal crust, 15.12.67, Royal Society Expedition, Aldabra 1967–68, J.D. Taylor; 4 males, 1 female (ovig.) (NHM 1882:24), Mozambique beach, Dr. Coppinger; 2 males, 1 female (NHM 1995:6:22:3-5), Shimonii, 50 m S. of Mombasa, H. Copley; 1 female (ovig.) ( SMF 38536), Kenya, S. of Malindi, Watamu, rocky shore with dead coral covered with algae, 24.07.1989 – 07.08.1989, H.-G. Müller.

Madagascar: 1 male ( MNHN B10712), Tulear, G. Petit, 1921; 3 male, 1 female, 1 juv. ( MNHN B10720), zône intertidale, Ile Europa, coll. P. Fourmanoir, det. A. Crosnier; 1 male (NHM 1973:91), Madagascar, Nosy Be, 1971, Hartnoll;

Indonesia: 2 males ( SMF 5439), Aru I., Ngaiboor, 20.02.1968. leg. H. Morten; 1 female (ovig.) ( SMF 38536), Kenya, S. of Malindi, Watamu, rocky shore with dead coral covered with algae, 24.07.1989 – 07.08.1989, H.G. Müller.

Papua New Guinea: 1 male, 1 female ( SMF 38539), New Ireland, Ulul Plantation (Father John's Home) ca. 30 km SE of Kavieng, among seagrass and Thalassia , 19.07.1998, M. Türkay.

Australia: 1 female (NHM 1937:9:21:270-273), Great Barrier Reef, General survey, low islands, St. IR17, IR70, 22.03.1929 - 08.05.1929; 1 female (NHM 1937:9:21:270-273), Great Barrier Reef, General survey, St. IR70, 08.05.1929; 1 female (NHM 1937:9:21:270-273), Great Barrier Reef, General survey, Porites pond, 22.03.1929; 4 males, 6 females (NHM 1937:9:21:270-273), Great Barrier Reef, General survey, low islands in the Queensland, 22.03.1929; 6 males, 9 females (3 ovig.) (NHM 1966:1.24:4-20), Monte Bello I., H.M.S. Campania; 2 males, 3 females (NHM 1966:1:24:21-25), Monte Bello I., H.M.S Campania; 1 male, 3 females (NHM 1881: 31), Queensland, Port Male, 0 5.05.1881, Dr. Coppinger; 1 male (NHM 1881: 31), Queensland, Porte Molle, 0 5.05.1881, Dr. Coppinger.

Unknown locality: 1 male, 4 females (3 ovig.) ( MNHN B10716).

Comparative material. Macrophthalmus boscii Audouin, 1826: 3 males, 4 females (ovig.) (SLR 1479 RMNH), Egypt, Sinai, Gulf of Aqaba, 09.05.1968; 3 males, 1 female, 1 male (juv.) (SLR 2847 RMNH), Gulf of Suez, El-Belahim, 28º 22'N, 33º 22'E, 02.05.1970; 1 male, 1 female, 1 juv. ( SMF 26292), Egypt, Manteqad al Bahr al Ahmar, Hurghada, Marine Biological Station, 27º 21'N, 33º 42'E, intertidal, 16.09.1994. C. Rhode & N. Dressler; 1 male, 3 females (NHM 1984:446), Egypt, Al-Hurghada; 1 female ( RMNH 30834), Gulf of Suez, Sinai, 01.05.1970; 1 female ( RMNH 30835), Ras el Misalla, Gulf of Suez, Sinai, 01.02.1969; 1 female ( RMNH 30833), Gulf of Suez, Sinai, Ras es Sudr, 10.08.1970; 2 males (CL = 3.82–4.15, CB = 4.45–5.03 mm, cotypes of Macrophthalmus franchettii ), Red Sea, Assab, 11.02.1929.

Diagnosis. Carapace slightly wider than long (CB/CL = 1.2); posterior surface relatively uneven, covered with small granules, no longitudinal row of granules on branchial regions; regions well defined with deep furrows. Front slightly more than 0.25 times as wide as carapace. Lateral margin ( Fig. 18 a) with three teeth including exorbital angle; exorbital angle nearly subquadrate; second slightly longer than first; third very small, but usually distinguishable.

Chelipeds ( Figs. 18 b, c) nearly equal, subequal or even unequal. Merus ( Fig. 18 d) with upper surface smooth, short stridulating ridge near inner margin, easily distinguishable by its brown colour, incompletely concealed by long setae. Palm relatively long, about 1.5 times as long as high in distal portion; inner surface mostly covered with patch of long setae, patch of setae continuous to end of fingers; cutting edge of movable fingers subproximally with large subquadrate differentiated tooth.

Male G1 with apical chitinous process short, directed laterally at 45° ( Fig. 18 g), distal margin strongly concave, mesial surface of apical part deeply depressed.

Female gonopore ( Fig. 18 i) relatively small, with outer margin oblique to median line of sternum; operculum small, directed outwards.

Remarks. Macrophthalmus sinuspersici belongs to the M. boscii -group and is closely related to M. boscii Audouin, 1825 , and M. lisae Poupin & Bouchard, 2010 . It is, however, easily distinguishable from those species using several taxonomic characters (Naderloo & Türkay 2010). Macrophthalmus sinuspersici has a distinct longitudinal stridulating ridge on the inner surface of the merus of the male cheliped, which is absent in M. boscii and M. lisae . The exorbital tooth of the carapace in M. sinuspersici and M. lisae is distinctly quadrate or semi-quadrate, terminally blunt, whereas in M. boscii it is nearly triangular and clearly directed forwards. All three species are different from each other regarding the apical part of the male G1. Macrophthalmus sinuspersici is clearly different from that of M. boscii . In M. sinuspersici the apical process of G1 is directed in an anterior-posterior direction and is strongly emarginated, with a depressed mesial surface, whereas that of M. boscii is unique with a plate-shaped apical process, being directed obliquely ventro-posteriorly. The apical process of G 1 in M. lisae is rounded, mesially convex and with an extreme depression on the lateral surface.

The female gonopore of M. sinuspersici is relatively large, having a small operculum which directs obliquely lateral. In females of M. boscii , however, the operculum is remarkably large, covering most of the gonopore. A further differentiating character is a patch of setae on the inner surface of the male chelipeds. In M. sinuspersici and M. boscii , this patch continues to the inner surface of both fingers, whereas in M. lisae it is restricted to the inner surface of the palm, whereas the inner surface of the fingers is glabrous.

Macrophthalmus sinuspersici is widely distributed in the Indo-West Pacific, but absent from the Red Sea, where only M. boscii occurs (Naderloo & Türkay 2010). Macrophthalmus lisae is only known from its type locality on the island of Mayotte in the, western Indian Ocean ( Poupin & Bouchard 2010).

Biology. Macrophthalmus sinuspersici is a small-size species with the largest male and female specimens from the Persian Gulf measuring CL = 8.35, CB = 10.14 mm, and CL = 6.76, CB = 8.56 mm, respectively. It is the only species of Macrophthalmus that occurs in the mid intertidal zone of rocky shores. This quickly moving species is found underneath stones covered with an algal mat at low tide.

Geographical distribution. Wide Indo-West Pacific distribution: Madagascar, East Africa, Gulf of Aden, Red Sea, Persian Gulf, Pakistan, Indonesia, northern and eastern Australia.

Figures

FIGURE 18. Macrophthalmus sinuspersici Naderloo & Türkay, 2010: a – d, f, g, male holotype (SMF 3690); e, h, i, female paratype (ZUTC Brach 1228). a, anterolateral part of carapace, posterior surface; b, cheliped of male, outer surface; c, cheliped of male, inner surface; d, merus of male cheliped, inner surface; e, cheliped of female, outer surface; f, male abdomen; g, apical part of G 1, lateral surface; h, female abdomen, penultimate segment and telson; i, female gonopore in close view, right.

FIGURE 17. a, b: Macrophthalmus graeffei A. Milne-Edwards 1873, male (UZM 1782), a, posterior surface; b, ventral surface; c, d: Macrophthalmus serenei Takeda & Komai, 1991, male (SMF 36097), a, posterior surface; b, anterior surface; e, f: Macrophthalmus sinuspersici Naderloo & Türkay, 2010, holotype, male (SMF 3690), e, posterior surface; f, ventral surface.