Deep-sea spider crabs of the family Epialtidae MacLeay, 1838, from Papua New Guinea, with a redefinition of Tunepugettia Ng, Komai & Sato, 2017, and descriptions of two new genera (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura: Majoidea)
Author
Lee, Bee Yan
Author
Forges, Bertrand Richer De
Author
Ng, Peter K. L.
text
Zootaxa
2019
2019-06-18
4619
1
1
44
journal article
26462
10.11646/zootaxa.4619.1.1
9aaf6711-748d-4067-a759-26d37802b7fc
1175-5326
3248363
CA6AEB18-2F97-449C-AE34-E1509DFFC841
Oxypleurodon papuense
n. sp.
(
Figs. 1D
,
3
A–C, 5E–H)
Material examined.
Holotype
:
male (18.3 ×
12.6 mm
) (MNHN-IU-2015-228) [photographed], stn DW4286, north of
Laughlan Islands
,
Solomon
sea,
09°12’S
153°55’E
,
306–365 m
, coll.
MADEEP
Expedition,
30 April 2014
.
Diagnosis.
Relatively large species (carapace length
18.3 mm
). Carapace pyriform. Pseudorostral spines short, slightly curved, strongly diverging to form prominent V-shape. Carapace with several raised plates; 2 elongate supraorbital plates; postorbital plate fused with hepatic plate forming L-shape plate; gastric region with 3 granules above 1 rounded mesogastric plate; 2 epibranchial plates; 2 elongate plates on each side of carapace; 1 large rounded cardiac plate; posterior region of carapace with raised thick plate, with blunt posterior tooth medially (
Figs. 1D
,
3A
). Antennal flagellum slightly longer than or equal in length to pseudorostral spines. Basal antennal article longer than broad, narrow, fused with carapace; distal angle blunt. Buccal frame covered by third maxilliped. Pterygostomial region with 1 raised plate on outer margin (
Fig. 3B
). Chelipeds stout, slightly shorter than P2; propodus slightly inflated, nearly equal in length to fingers; carpus with carinate on both margin; merus triangular in cross-section. Ambulatory legs slender; P2 longest. Male thoracic sternum depressed anteriorly; sternites 3 and 4 narrow, constricted anteriorly, widest at base. Male pleon triangular, with telson and 6 somites all free. G1 straight, slightly constricted near distal third, distal tip sharp (
Fig. 5
E–H).
Coloration.
Coloration of live specimen is whitish with the anterior part of the carapace and the chelae pink (
Fig. 1D
).
Etymology.
The name of this species is named after the country,
Papua New Guinea
, where it was collected.
Remarks
. At approximately
18 mm
in carapace length,
Oxypleurodon papuense
n. sp.
is relatively large for members of this genus. The comparable species are
O
.
forte
Lee, Corbari & Richer de Forges, 2015
, from the South
China
Sea,
O
.
karubar
Richer de Forges, 1995
, from
Indonesia
,
O
.
luzonicum
(
Rathbun, 1916
)
, and
O
.
sanctaeclausi
Richer de Forges & Ng, 2009
, from the
Philippines
, and
O
.
wilsoni
Richer de Forges & Poore, 2008
, from Western Australia (cf.
Richer de Forges 1995
: figs. 2, pl. 2 A, C;
Richer de Forges & Poore 2008
: fig. 1b;
Richer de Forges & Ng 2009a
: figs. 1A, 11A;
Lee
et al
. 2015
: figs. 2A, 3A). All these species have a round cardiac plate, large epibranchial plates, and there are three gastric granules. These species, however, have sharp branchial plates directed outwards (cf.
Richer de Forges 1995
: figs. 2, pl. 2 A, C;
Richer de Forges & Poore 2008
: fig. 1b;
Richer de Forges & Ng 2009a
: figs. 1A, 11A;
Lee
et al
. 2015
: figs. 2A, 3A).
Oxypleurodon papuense
n. sp.
, however, only has a rounded branchial plate (
Figs. 1D
,
3A
).
Oxypleurodon papuense
n. sp.
is currently only known from its
type
locality,
Papua New Guinea
.