Holthuija aussie, Ng & Forges, 2015

Ng, Peter K. L. & Forges, Bertrand Richer De, 2015, Revision of the spider crab genus Maja Lamarck, 1801 (Crustacea: Brachyura: Majoidea: Majidae), with descriptions of seven new genera and 17 new species from the Atlantic and Indo-West Pacific, Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 63, pp. 110-225 : 163-164

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.5281/zenodo.5384590
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:40BCDD62-D35E-46D1-95A3-2CC0DF219DEE
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5466815
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/37055799-EC1C-4B4E-819A-DF768384E678
taxon LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:act:37055799-EC1C-4B4E-819A-DF768384E678
treatment provided by	Valdenar
scientific name	Holthuija aussie
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Holthuija aussie View in CoL n. sp.

( Figs. 25B–D View Fig , 26D View Fig , 37I View Fig , 40H View Fig , 42E View Fig , 46E View Fig , 54H View Fig , 56F View Fig )

Maja suluensis View in CoL – Poore et al., 2008: 62. (not Maja suluensis Rathbun, 1916 View in CoL ). (not Maja suluensis Rathbun, 1916 View in CoL ).

Material examined. Holotype: ovigerous female (42.1 × 34.4 mm) ( NMV J63752 View Materials ), Arafura Sea, 10°58.03’S 136°47.82’E, 107–108 m, coll. B. A. Glasby, CSIRO RV Southern Surveyor, 17 October 2012. Others: 1 juvenile female (14.3 × 11.9 mm [right branchial region with bopyrid parasite) ( NMV J61058 View Materials ), Imperieuse L 23 Transect, northwestern Australia, 18°27.62’S 120°08.68’E – 18°27.72’S 120°08.68’E, 80–81 m, coll. M. Gomon, CSIRO RV Southern Surveyor, 19 June 2007. — 1 juvenile female (11.9 × 9.1 mm) ( NMV J63958 View Materials ), off Red Bluff , Western Australia, 24°02.62’S 113°01.62’E – 24°02.83’S 113°01.73’E, 100 m, coll. G. Poore, CSIRO RV Southern Surveyor , 8 December 2005. GoogleMaps

Diagnosis. Carapace covered with small granules ( Fig. 25B–D View Fig ). Pseudorostral spines long, diverging ( Fig. 37I View Fig ). Antorbital spine long, sharp, strongly curved upwards and anteriorly; intercalated spine triangular, with distinct gaps on each side; postorbital spine long, strong; hepatic spine short; median row with 5 long spines: 2 gastric, 3 cardiac (2 may be small in young specimens) ( Figs. 25B–D View Fig , 37I View Fig ). Lateral margin with 3 long spines increasing towards posterior; 1 very long branchial spine; 2 long upwardly directed spines on posterior carapace margin ( Fig. 25B–D View Fig ). Basal antennal article with 2 big blunt distal teeth; on inner margin 2 lobate teeth; external margin serrulated ( Fig. 40H View Fig ). Epistome with 2 tubercles on anterior margin ( Fig. 40H View Fig ). G1 not known.

Etymology. The species is named after a common nickname for Australians – “Aussie”. The name is used as a noun in apposition.

Remarks. Holthuija aussie n. sp. is the only species of the Maja group to possess three cardiac spines. The holotype of the species comes from the northwestern Australian coast, in the Arafura Sea, very close to Indonesian waters.

The identities of two juvenile specimens ( J61058 View Materials and J53958 View Materials ) collected at 18°S and 24°S, is uncertain as they differ from the type in several aspects. The following differences are observed: the antorbital spine is not as curved in the juveniles as found in the adults; there are wide gaps on each side of the intercalated spine in the juveniles versus narrow gaps in the adults; all the lateral spines are shorter in the juvenile specimens; only one cardiac spine versus 3 in the adult; the distal spines on the basal antennal article are shorter and not so sharp; the cornea shape is different, being more elongate in the juveniles. They could belong to a new species but as neither specimens are adult, it was decided that this was best left to a later date when better material becomes available. They are here provisionally referred to Holthuija aussie for convenience .