Leontocaris yarramundi Taylor & Poore, 1998

Ahyong, Shane T., 2010, New species and new records of Caridea (Hippolytidae: Pasiphaeidae) from New Zealand *, Zootaxa 2372 (1), pp. 341-357 : 353

Leontocaris yarramundi Taylor & Poore, 1998

( Fig. 4D )

Leontocaris yarramundi Taylor & Poore, 1998: 64–68 , figs. 5–7 [type locality: “U” seamount, 82.8 km SSE of Southeast Cape, Tasmania]. — Poore 2009: 965–966.

Material examined. Chatham Rise: NIWA 49259 , 1 male (tcl 17.2 mm, cl 7.1 mm), Gothic Seamount, 42°43.71’S, 179°53.56’W, 1070– 990 m, TAN0104/388, epibenthic sled, with primnoid coral, 21.IV.2001 ; NIWA 49262 , 1 ov. female (cl. 7.4 mm), Zombie Seamount, 42°46.00’S, 179°55.36’W, 970– 900 m, TAN0104/337, with mixed corals and sponges, epibenthic sled, 20.IV.2001 ; NIWA 49260 , 2 ov. females (tcl 16.3, cl 7.2–7.4 mm), Diabolical Seamount, 42°47.17’S, 179°59.12’W, 993– 900 m, TAN0104/48, with lithistid sponge, epibenthic sled, 16.IV.2001 ; NIWA 49261 , 1 ov. female (cl. 7.6 mm), Zombie Seamount, 42°45.92’S, 179°55.62’W, 1058– 990 m, TAN0104/198, with coral and sponge, epibenthic sled, 19 Apr 2001 ; NIWA 29687 , 1 male (tcl. 18.9 mm, cl 7.6 mm), Pyre Seamount, 42°43.06–43.31’S, 179°54.29–54.15’E, 1025–1156 m, TAN0604/102, with mixed corals and sponge, 4. VI.2006; NIWA 29695 , 1 ov. female (cl 8.8 mm), Gothic Seamount, 42°43.65–43.84’S, 179°53.94–54.18’E, 1000–1107 m, TAN0604/113, with mixed corals and sponge, 7. VI.2006; NIWA 29670 , 1 male (tcl 17.0 mm, cl 7.1 mm), 1 female (tcl 16.0 mm, cl 7.2 mm), 3 ov. females (cl 7.0– 8.3 mm), Zombie Seamount, 42°45.76–45.45’S, 179°55.51–55.36’E, 1019–1081 m, TAN0604/09, with mixed corals and sponge, 28. V.2006.

Remarks. The New Zealand specimens conform well to the type description and are the first records of the species outside Tasmania. The rostral spination of the New Zealand specimens (9 or 10 dorsal of which 4 are postorbital; 16–20 ventral) is within the expected range of variation for the species (9 dorsal of which 4 are postorbital; 15–18 ventral; Taylor & Poore 1998), as is rostral length (1.22–1.61 cl. versus 1.05–1.46). Of the three males and nine females examined, the major pereopod 2 is on the right in all specimens except for one male and four females. Most specimens were collected together with sponges and mixed corals including primnoids (Thourella sp., Acanthogorgia sp. ) and Madrepora oculata .

Distribution. Seamounts off south-eastern Tasmania and now from seamounts on the Chatham Rise, New Zealand; 900–1448 m.

Figures

FIGURE 4. A–B, Leontocaris amplectipes Bruce, 1990, carapace, male (cl 8.5 mm) (NIWA 13678), female (cl 6.8 mm) (NIWA 13677). C, Leontocaris alexander Poore, 2009, carapace, ov. female (cl 6.8 mm) (NIWA 33119). D, Leontocaris yarramundi Taylor & Poore, 1998, carapace, male (cl 7.6 mm) (NIWA 29687). E, Lysmata vittata (Stimpson, 1860), carapace, sex indet., tcl 5.7 mm (NIWA (MITS) 5523). F, Merhippolyte chacei Kensley, Griffin & Tranter, 1987, carapace, ov. female (cl 8.9 mm) (NIWA 33172). G–H, Alainopasiphaea australis (Hanamura, 1989), anterior carapace, female (tcl 16.8 mm), female (16.9 mm), both NIWA 33095. Scale: A–D, F–H = 2.0 mm; E = 1.0 mm.