Munidopsis moresbyi Alcock & Anderson, 1899

Published, First, 2007, Species of the genus Munidopsis Whiteaves, 1784 from the Indian and Pacific Oceans and reestablishment of the genus Galacantha A. Milne-Edwards, 1880 (Crustacea, Decapoda, Galatheidae), Zootaxa 1417, pp. 1-135 : 81-83

Munidopsis moresbyi Alcock & Anderson, 1899

( Fig. 38)

Munidopsis Moresbyi Alcock & Anderson, 1899a: 22 .—Alcock, 1901: 259.

Munidopsis moresbyi .— Alcock & Anderson, 1899b: pl. 40, fig. 3.— Baba, 2005: 291.

Material examined. Indonesia, Makassar Strait, CORINDON 2, Stn 290, 779– 798 m: 2 F 11.8–12.0 mm (MNHN-Ga1409).

Description. Carapace slightly longer than broad; dorsal surface moderately convex from side to side, covered with sparsely setose squamae and granules; cervical groove moderately distinct, regions well defined, gastric and cardiac regions slightly more convex than branchial regions. Gastric region without epigastric processes. Cardiac region triangular, preceded by deep transverse groove. Rostrum triangular, broad, 0.3 times as wide as carapace, about 0.3 times length of remaining carapace, horizontal, subacute at apex, directed slightly upwards, margins serrated, dorsally carinate and sparsely granulated. Frontal margin slightly oblique behind ocular peduncle, without antennal spine, then nearly transverse toward blunt anterolateral spine; lateral margins with numerous blunt spines, weakly convex, with distinct notch at each end of anterior and posterior cervical grooves. Posterior margin preceded by moderately elevated ridge.

Pterygostomian flap granulated, anteriorly angular.

Sternum as long as wide, maximum width at sternite 7. Sternites with numerous small granules; sternite 3 moderately broad, bilobate, separate by median notch, about 2.5 times wider than long; sternite 4 nearly 2.5 times wider than sternite 3.

Abdomen smooth; segments 2ñ4 each with 2 slightly produced transverse ridges separated by shallow transverse groove; segment 6 with weakly produced posterolateral lobes and nearly transverse posteromedian margin. Telson composed of 8 plates; posterior plates combined about twice as wide as long.

Ocular peduncle fixed, unarmed; cornea subglobular, as wide as peduncle. One blunt granulated process ventral to front margin between ocular and antennal peduncles.

Basal article of antennular peduncle with strong dorsolateral and distolateral spines; distomesial margin serrated.

Basal article of antennal peduncle with strong distomesial and distolateral processes; article 2 with small distolateral spine; articles 3–4 unarmed.

Mxp 3 ischium granulated, longer than merus measured on extensor margin, flexor and extensor margins terminating in small blunt spine; 20 or 21 corneous denticles on crista dentata. Flexor margin of merus with 2 granulated spines; extensor margin with blunt distal spine.

P1 subequal, moderately short and massive, nearly 1.5 times carapace length, sparsely granulated, with numerous short plumose setae. Merus twice length of carpus, with 2 or 3 distal spines. Carpus as long as high, without spines. Palm unarmed, 1.5 times length of carpus. Fingers slightly longer than palm, opposable margins nearly straight, not gaping, distally spooned; fixed finger without distolateral carina, slightly exceeding movable finger, ending in single tip.

P2–P4 sparsely granulated; P2 longest, not reaching end of P1, less than 1.5 times carapace length; ischium to propodus with numerous soft plumose setae. P2 merus half carapace length, less than 3 times longer than high, 2 times length of carpus and nearly 1.5 length of propodus; distal spine on dorsal and ventral margins; carpus with longitudinal crest on lateral surface, and distal spine on dorsal margin; propodus more than 3 times as long as high, ventral margin unarmed except for 2 corneous spines on distal portion; dactylus more than half length of propodus, flexor margin curved, with 9 or 10 proximally diminishing teeth, each tooth with single seta.

Epipods absent from pereiopods.

Remarks. The specimens examined agree quite well with the description and illustrations provided by Alcock & Anderson (1899a, b) and Alcock (1901). However, the rostrum of the present material is wider than in the types (as figured by Alcock & Anderson). Furthermore, the dorsal carapace surface is more squamate in the specimens from Indonesia. Unfortunately, the types have not been examined and the present identification may be revised in the future.

Distribution. Previously known only from the type locality, Arabian Sea off Travancore coast, at 787 m. The present record extends its distribution to Banda Sea, Indonesia, at 779– 787 m.