Neclorida miersi ( Manning, 1968b )

Ahyong, Shane T., 1998, Review of Neoanchisquilla Moosa, 1991 and Neclorida Manning, 1995 (Crustacea: Stomatopoda: Squilloidea), with descriptions of two new species of Neoanchisquilla from the Indian Ocean, Records of the Australian Museum 50 (2), pp. 217-229 : 226-228

Neclorida miersi ( Manning, 1968b)

Fig. 5

Clorida miersi Manning, 1968b: 11-14 , fig. 3.- Moosa, 1973: 22.-Moosa & C1eva, 1984: 77.

Neclorida miersi .- Manning, 1995: 25, 219.

Material. HOLOTYPE: USNM 124091 , male (TL 33 mm), western coast of Madagascar, Banc de Pracel , 65 m, sand, colI. A. Crosnier, June 1959. USNM 124091 , 1 male (TL 84 mm), 1 female (TL 85 mm), Entre Majunga et baie de Narendry, northwestern Madagascar, 40 m, colI. R. Plante, 14-15 April 1970.

Description. TL of adults to 85 mm. Dorsal integument smooth, polished. Eye with cornea distinctly bilobed, broader than and set transversely on stalk not extending beyond Al peduncle segment 1; stalk slightly inflated; Cl 400-683. Ocular scales fused, faintly emarginate anteriorly. Ophthalmic somite with triangular anterior margin. Al peduncle 0.67-0.74CL. Al somite dorsal processes slender, with spiniform apices, directed anterolaterally. A2 scale length 0.41-0.42CL. Rostral plate longerthan broad; lateral margins convergent; apex rounded; lacking dorsal carinae. Carapace anterior width 0.41-0.45CL; anterolateral spines not extending to base of rostral plate; with reflected MG carinae only; lacking posterior median projection. Raptorial claw dactylus with 5 teeth, outer margin broadly curved, proximal margin with basal notch; carpus dorsal carina undivided; propodus opposable margin sinuous; merus outer inferodistal angle unarmed; basis lacking ventrally directed mesial spine. Mandibular palp 3- segmented. MXPI-4 each with epipod. MXP5 basal segment lacking ventrally directed spine. Pereiopods 1-3 basal segment unarmed; endopod 2-segmented, slender, entire margin setose. TS5-8 each lacking SM carinae. TS5 lateral process a single, short spine, directed anterolaterally and inclined ventrally; ventral spine triangular, acute, directed ventrally. TS6-7 lateral processes rounded to obtuse anterolaterally and posterolaterally. TS8 anterolateral margin triangular; sternal keel rounded. AS 1-4 each lacking SM carinae. AS 5 at most with faint indication of SM carina. AS 6 with surface between SM and IM carinae irregularly sculptured; with ventrolateral spine anterior to uropodal articulation; sternum posterior margin unarmed. Abdominal carinae spined as follows: SM 6, IM 4-6 (5- 6), LT 5-6, MG (3-4)5. Telson inflated, broader than long; SM teeth with movable apices; prelaterallobe shorter than margin of lateral tooth; median carina low, uninterrupted proximally, armed posteriorly; dorsolateral surface with accessory median carina composed of 4-5 tubercles and with numerous longitudinal rows of blunt tubercles; denticles triangular, 2-3, 7-8, 1; carinae of marginal teeth inflated in adult males. Telson ventral surface with long, tuberculate postanal carina; ventrolateral carina short, extending distally slightly beyond prelaterallobe. Uropodal protopod terminating in 2 slender spines, inner longer, dorsally and ventrally carinate; unarmed dorsally excepting dorsal spine above proximal exopod articulation; outer margin smooth; inner margin armed with 7-10 slender spines; with short ventral spine anterior to endopod articulation. Terminal spines of uropodal protopod with lobe on outer margin of inner spine rounded, deflected dorsally, broader than adjacent spine, proximal margin concave. Uropodal exopod proximal segment with broad, round distal lobe on inner distal half; outer margin with 6-7, graded movable spines, distal 2 flattened with acute apices, distalmost not exceeding midlength of distal segment; distal margin with short ventral spine; inner distal portion dark. Uropodal exopod distal segment longer than proximal segment; dark on inner half only; endopod unarmed dorsally, entire margin setose.

Remarks. Neclorida miersi , as Clorida miersi , has been reported only from the type locality, Madagascar, ( Manning, 1968b) and Indonesia ( Moosa, 1973; Moosa & Cleva, 1984) from specimens of TL 55 mm or less. The present specimens are the largest known, but agree in most respects with the holotype and Indonesian specimens. The present specimens differ from the holotype in that the cornea is distinctly broader than the stalk (approximately 0.8 eye length) and more strongly bilobed than figured for the holotype ( Manning, 1968b: fig. 3b); the ventral tubercle below the lateral process ofTS5 is more distinct and acute; the intermediate carinae of AS 4 and lateral carina of AS 5 are armed posteriorly; the dorsal surface of AS 6 between the SM and intermediate carinae is irregularly sculptured; the outer margin of the proximal segment of the exopod bears seven instead of six movable spines;

the inner margin of the uropodal protopod bears 7-10 spines instead of seven only; and the prelateral lobe of the telson is distinct. The large male differs from the large female and the holotype in bearing a slightly broader rostral plate, the PLPI endopod is relatively larger than in the holotype, the marginal carinae ofAS3- 4 are armed and the dorsal ornamentation of the telson is inflated. All of the above differences are likely referable to size/age. Abdominal spination in the two largest specimens agrees with the 55 mm female reported by Moosa & Cleva (1984).

The dorsal ornamentation of the telson in the two largest specimens, the female in particular, closely resembles that of the holotype. The large male shows the inflated telson carinae and tubercles typical of adult males of similar genera such as Clorida , Cloridina and Lenisquilla . The most significant differences between the holotype and the largest specimens are in the cornea breadth (discussed above) and prelateral lobe on the telson. The prelateral lobe on the telson is an important diagnostic character for many genera and species. In the holotype of Clorida miersi the prelateral lobe is indistinct and considered absent in the original diagnosis of Neclorida . Neclorida miersi therefore resembles species of Clorida , Cloridina , Lenisquilla and Levisquilla , in which the distinctness of the prelateral lobe increases with age/size, and this fact must be considered when identifying juveniles and subadults. The generic diagnosis of Neclorida is emended above to account for these new data.

Distribution. Known only from Madagascar and Indonesia in depths between 40 and 65 m.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS. Thanks to RB. and L.K. Manning for their generous hospitality and access to USNM collections during a visit to Washington in September 1997. Thanks also to Dr Nguyen Ngoc-Ho (MNHN) and Ms Karen Coombes (NTM) for access to material in their collections. Thanks to Dr G. D.F. Wilson (AM) for advice and access to computing facilities. This study was partially supported by an Australian Postgraduate Award from the Australian Research Council, administered by the University of New South Wales.

Figures

Figure 5. Neclorida miersi (Manning, 1968b) male (TL 84 mm), USNM 124091. A, anterior cephalon, dorsal; B, Al somite dorsal process, right lateral; C, raptorial claw, right lateral; D, TS5, right lateral; E, posterior carapace and TS5-8 lateral processes, right dorsal; F, PLPl endopod; G, AS5-6, telson and uropod, dorsal; H, uropod, right ventral. Scale bar A-E, G, H, 5 mm; F, 2.4 mm.