Angustopelta robusta, Ng, Peter K. L. & Castro, Peter, 2016

Ng, Peter K. L. & Castro, Peter, 2016, Revision of the family Chasmocarcinidae Serène, 1964 (Crustacea, Brachyura, Goneplacoidea), Zootaxa 4209 (1), pp. 1-182 : 61-63

publication ID

https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.4209.1.1

publication LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:pub:849BAB5C-464A-4B4A-A586-5742411EDC01

DOI

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5617141

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/F16BFB33-FF9F-FFC5-FF6A-FC29FB72FE4D

treatment provided by

Plazi

scientific name

Angustopelta robusta
status

sp. nov.

Angustopelta robusta View in CoL n. sp.

( Figs. 12 View FIGURE 12 A, B; 13A‒F; 24F; 31G; 41G, H; 42A‒C; 52G; 59F, J; 74A‒E; 87C; 91C; 101F)

Type material. Holotype male (9.3 × 10.7 mm) (MNHN-IU-2010-5616), Vanuatu, Big Bay , BOA 1 stn CP2435, 14°51’10”S 166°53’80”E, 773‒900 m, 0 9.09.2005. GoogleMaps

Paratypes: Vanuatu, MUSORSTOM 8: 1 male (10.0 × 12.6 mm) (MNHN-IU-2013-9042), stn CP1075, 15°53’S, 167°27’E, 944‒948 m, 04.10.1994 GoogleMaps ; 6 males, 5 females (MNHN-IU-2013-9041), 2 males, 2 females (ZRC 2015.254, ex MNHN-IU-2013-9041), stn CP1080, 15°57’S, 167°28’E, 799‒850 m, 05.10.1994; 1 male (10.9 × 12.5 mm) (MNHN-IU-2013-9043), no other data.—SANTO 2006: 1 male (12.3 × 13.3 mm) (ZRC 2015.255) [photographed], NE Tutuba I., stn AT60, 15°33.1’S, 167°22.0’E, 880‒953 m, 03.10.2006; 1 male (8.7 × 9.1 mm) (ZRC 2015.256), W. Malo I., stn AT61, 15°39.2’S, 167°01.4’E, 266‒281 m, 0 4.10.2006.

Diagnosis. Carapace ( Figs. 12 View FIGURE 12 A, B; 101F) subtrapezoidal, convex, 1.1 wider than long; front bilobed, with shallow median cleft; minutely granular, without distinct lobes; anterolateral margins arcuate, round tubercle on each margin (may be absent). Eye peduncle ( Fig. 24 View FIGURE 24 F) filling orbit, short, immobile; cornea pigmented. Epistome ( Fig. 24 View FIGURE 24 F) semicircular median lobe with deep median fissure, semicircular lateral margins. Third maxilliped ( Fig. 31 View FIGURE 31 G) merus subcircular, ischium rectangular, slightly longer than merus. Proportionally short ambulatory legs but length varies slightly; P5 merus 0.7 cl in holotype ( Fig. 42 View FIGURE 42 A‒C). Chelipeds ( Figs. 12 View FIGURE 12 A, B; 41G, H; 101F) subequal in length, slightly dissimilar in female, heteromorphic in males; fingers of minor chela ( Fig. 41 View FIGURE 41 H) subcircular in cross-section, gently tapering to tip, scissor-like, cutting margins with few sharp teeth. Ventral surface of cheliped merus with 4 teeth, additional smaller teeth or large tubercles on outer margin, large tooth on distal inner margin, additional tooth on median portion may be present in some individuals. Inner margin of cheliped carpus with sharp tooth ( Fig. 12 View FIGURE 12 A, B). Fused thoracic sternites 1, 2 ( Fig. 52 View FIGURE 52 G) transversely narrow, long. Press-button for pleonal holding present as 2 small, short tubercles posterior to thoracic sternal suture 4/5, one near edge of sterno-pleonal cavity, one just outside ( Fig. 59 View FIGURE 59 J). Male pleon ( Figs. 52 View FIGURE 52 G; 59F) with proportionally short telson. G1 ( Fig. 74 View FIGURE 74 A‒D) stout, distal segment slightly curved, with short to long spinules, tuft of setae just before tip. G2 ( Fig. 74 View FIGURE 74 E) about half G1 length, curved, slender, distal segment proportionally long, curved. Female telson ( Fig. 87 View FIGURE 87 C) proportionally short. Vulvae ( Fig. 91 View FIGURE 91 C) relatively close together, located on outer margins of cavity close to suture 5/6.

Colour. The carapace is a pale, light brownish-pink and white to brownish white pereiopods after cleaning of live specimens ( Fig. 101 View FIGURE 101 F).

Etymology. The name is derived from the Latin robusta for “stout,” alluding to the relatively large size and stocky appearance of the species.

Remarks. The new species has a round, tooth-like tubercle on the anterolateral margin of the carapace, whereas a distinctive tooth is usually present in A. aurita and no tubercle or tooth is present in A. cribrorum . The presence of a distinct tubercle in the new species, however, is a variable one, absent or very low in three of the 20 males examined and in five of 16 females examined. It is not related to overall size, and may simply be due to variation or erosion of the tubercle due to wear and tear. In one specimen (female 9.6 × 11.0 mm, MNHN-IU-2013- 9041), there is also small sharp granule on the subhepatic region that is visible from dorsal view ( Figs. 12 View FIGURE 12 A, B; 13A, B, E, F). This is absent in other specimens although the surface of this region is uneven and covered with low granules. The anterolateral margin of A. modesta n. sp. has a low granule (sometimes undiscernible) that never develops into a tubercle.

Angustopelta robusta n. sp. possesses a unique double press-button of the male pleonal holding, consisting of two tubercles on each side of the pleon posterior to the thoracic sternal suture 4/5, one visible outside edge of sterno-pleonal cavity, the second adjacent to it inside the cavity ( Fig. 59 View FIGURE 59 J). This is unusual and present in all male specimens of this species examined, even for small specimens. The function of the second exposed tubercle is unknown. The press-button of its three conspecifics consists of only one tubercle, which may be large as in A. cribrorum ( Fig. 59 View FIGURE 59 I).

The ambulatory legs of the new species ( Figs. 12 View FIGURE 12 A, B; 42A‒C) are clearly shorter than in A. aurita ( Fig. 11 View FIGURE 11 B, C) and A. cribrorum ( Fig. 11 View FIGURE 11 D, E), the P5 merus of the folded leg almost reaching the orbits in these two species but only to the tubercle on the anterolateral margin, if present, in the new species. The shorter legs, together with a slightly broader anterior third of the carapace, give the new species a more stout appearance than its congeners.

Distribution. Only known from Vanuatu, southwestern Pacific Ocean. Depth: 266‒ 953 m.

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