Munida tenella Benedict, 1902

Hendrickx, Michel E., 2021, Squat lobsters (Crustacea: Decapoda: Anomura: Galatheoidea) from off the northwestern coast of the Baja California Peninsula, Mexico, Zootaxa 4965 (2), pp. 375-384 : 381-382

Munida tenella Benedict, 1902

( Fig. 5 )

Munida tenella .— Fierro Rengifo et al., 2008: 6 (list); Hendrickx 2012a: 31 (table 1), 35; Hendrickx & Serrano 2014: 4 (table 1).

Material examined. St. 17 (31°37.75’N, 116°45.807´W), April 18, 2005, 247 m, one female (CL, 45.4 mm; CLwr, 32.5 mm; RCh and LCh chelipeds, 126 mm) and one ovigerous female (CL, 44.9 mm; CLwr, 33.5 mm; RCh, 95 mm; LCh, 133 mm) (ICML-EMU-12828) ( Fig. 1 ).

Distribution. Throughout the Gulf of California, Mexico ( Hendrickx 2000, 2011). This is the first record from off the west coast of the Baja California Peninsula. Hendrickx (2011) indicated that in the Gulf of California the series of small specimens (CLr <16.0 mm) was collected between 27 and 112 m depth, while the material reported in 2011, from much deeper water (208‒414 m), included much larger specimens (CLr> 20.0 mm). The specimens examined here (collected at 247 m) are the largest on record (see below).

Remarks. The specimens examined feature the typical lateral spines on the rostrum and the series of dorsal spines on the abdominal somites (second with 8 spines; third with four long spines; fourth with four, very strong spines). Although spines on carapace and in lateral margins are less marked than in other specimens of this species (see Hendrickx 2000), they match well with the species description, including the shape and spine pattern on the third maxilliped, and on the antennal and antennular peduncles.

The 44.9 mm CL ovigerous specimen measured 105 mm TL, the largest size on record for M. tenella ; TL of the 45.4 mm CL specimen could not be accurately measured but is estimated at 108 mm TL. These exceed the largest sizes reported by Hendrickx (2012a) (males, 34.2 mm CL, females, 29.2 mm CL) for material collected within the Gulf of California.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Localities where the specimens of squat lobsters were collected. J. californiensis (D); Munida hispida (A, B, D); M. quadrispina (C). M. tenella (C).

FIGURE 5. Munida tenella Benedict, 1902. Female, CL 45.4 mm (ICML-EMU-12828). Dorsal view.