Munida asprosoma, Ahyong & Poore, 2004

Ahyong, Shane T. & Poore, Gary C. B., 2004, Deep-water Galatheidae (Crustacea: Decapoda: Anomura) from southern and eastern Australia, Zootaxa 472 (1), pp. 1-76 : 20-23

Munida asprosoma n. sp. ( Fig. 3 )

Munida militaris . — Jones & Morgan, 2002: 135 [colour figure] [not M. militaris Henderson, 1885 ].

(?) Munida microps . — Baba, 1994: 13. — Davie, 2002: 65 [part] [not M. microps Alcock, 1894 ].

Type material. HOLOTYPE: AM P26795, female (26.2 mm), E of Broken Bay , New South Wales, 33°35–33’S, 152°00–02’E, 823 m, trawl, K77­23­12, 8 Dec 1977 . PARATYPES: AM P26790, 2 males (21.0–29.0 mm), E of Broken Bay , New South Wales, 33°35–33’S, 152°00–02’E, 823 m, trawl, K77­23­12, 8 Dec 1977 .

Other material examined. QUEENSLAND: AM P67050, 1 ovigerous female (19.0 mm), E of Yule Entrance, Coral Sea , 10°37.17’S, 144°21.99’E, 990–1053 m, from gullet of fish (Ventrifussa sp., AM I32439­0030 , E stn 5, 21 Aug 1988.

Diagnosis. Carapace with frontal margins oblique; transverse striae widely spaced; with 4 or 5 pairs of epigastric spines in addition to smaller scattered spinules; with paired parahepatic, paired anterior branchial and paired postcervical spines; frontal margins oblique; lateral margins of carapace with 5 spines posterior to cervical groove. Rostrum spiniform. Fourth thoracic sternite with several short, granular striae, other sternites smooth. Second abdominal tergite with row of 7–11 spines on anterior border. Third abdominal tergite with pair of submedian spines on anterior border. Eyes large, with maximum corneal diameter slightly less than one­third basal distance between anterolateral spines. Basal segment of antennule with 2 terminal spines, outer longer. Basal segment of antennal peduncle with strong mesial spine. Second segment with mesial distal spine overreaching distal segment of peduncle. Maxilliped 3 ischium with small distal flexor spine; merus flexor margin with distal and proximal spine, proximal largest. Cheliped slender, elongate, about 2–3 times carapace length; spinous and sparsely setose; ventral margin of pollex with proximal spine. Pereopod 2–3 merus with spinose extensor and flexor margins. Pereopod 4 merus with unarmed extensor margin. Pereopods 2–4 dactylus with movable spines along proximal 0.8 of flexor margin.

Description. Carapace: Transverse ridges mostly uninterrupted; few secondary striae; cervical groove distinct; with 4 or 5 pairs of epigastric spines in addition to smaller scattered spinules; with paired parahepatic, paired anterior branchial and paired postcervical spines. Frontal margins oblique; rostrum spiniform, faintly upcurved, more than twice as long as supraocular spines and about half remaining carapace length. Supraocular spines subparallel or slightly divergent. Anterolateral spine well developed, situated at anterolateral angle, not extending to sinus between rostrum and supraocular spine. Margins of carapace anterior to cervical groove with 2 large spines (including anterolateral) and 0–2 spinules; with 5 spines posterior to cervical groove.

Sternum: Fourth sternite with several short, granular striae; fifth to seventh sternites smooth; ridges demarcating fourth to seventh sternites feebly granular.

Abdomen: Second tergite with row of 7–11 spines on anterior border. Third tergite with pair of submedian spines on anterior border. Second tergite with uninterrupted transverse stria and several short striae laterally. Third and fourth tergites with interrupted and uninterrupted transverse striae and several short striae laterally.

Eye: Large, with maximum corneal diameter slightly less than one­third basal distance between anterolateral spines.

Antennule: Basal segment elongate, overreaching cornea; with 2 terminal spines, outer longer; with two lateral spines, distal markedly longer than proximal.

Antenna: Basal segment of peduncle with strong mesial spine. Second segment with mesial and lateral terminal spines, mesial overreaching distal segment of peduncle. Third and fourth segments unarmed.

Maxilliped 3: Ischium with small distal flexor spine. Flexor margin of merus with distal and proximal spine, proximal largest; extensor margin unarmed.

Pereopod 1 (cheliped): Slender, about twice carapace length; spinous and sparsely setose. Dactylus with small dorsal proximal spine; without subterminal spines; occlusal margin denticulate. Propodus with palm about 4–5 times as long as high, slightly longer than dactylus, upper outer and lower margins spinose. Pollex with 2 subterminal spines, occlusal margin denticulate; ventral margin with proximal spine. Carpus and merus with long spines on lateral, dorsal and mesial surfaces; spines strongest dorsally and distally.

Pereopod 2: Merus extensor margin with 12–14 spines; flexor margin with 5 or 6 spines. Carpus with 2–4 extensor and 1 flexor spine. Propodus flexor margin with 7 or 8 movable spines. Dactylus about 0.6 propodus length; flexor margin with 9 movable spines.

Pereopod 3: Merus extensor margin with 9–12 spines; flexor margin with 4 or 5 spines. Carpus with 2 extensor and 1 flexor spine. Propodus flexor margin with 7–9 movable spines. Dactylus about 0.6 propodus length; flexor margin with 7 or 8 movable spines.

Pereopod 4: Merus extensor margin with unarmed; flexor margin with distal spine. Carpus extensor and flexor margins each with distal spine. Propodus flexor margin with 5– 7 movable spines. Dactylus about 0.7 propodus length; flexor margin with 5–7 movable spines.

Etymology. Derived from the Greek aspros and soma, meaning ‘white body’ in reference to the pale colour of the species.

Remarks. Munida asprosoma n. sp. closely resembles M. vigiliarum Alcock, 1901 from the Andaman Sea in most respects including the widely spaced dorsal striae, dorsal and lateral carapace spination, and spination of the second and third abdominal tergites. Munida asprosoma is readily distinguished by the lengths of the terminal spines on the basal antennular segment (mesial shorter than instead of subequal to the lateral), in having two instead of one ventral spines on the merus of the third maxilliped, and in having distinctly oblique instead of relatively transverse frontal carapace margins. Jones & Morgan (2002) figured the holotype of M. asprosoma in colour (mis­captioned as M. militaris ); it is creamy­white in life.

Baba (1994) reported two juvenile Queensland specimens as M. microps , but noted the presence of larger eyes and a pair of anterior spines on the third abdominal somite. These aforementioned characters are inconsistent with M. microps sensu stricto. Baba’s specimens are perhaps referable to M. asprosoma . Munida asprosoma shares with M. microps the proximoventral spine on the pollex of the cheliped, and will key out to the latter according to the key to species given by Baba (1988) (if eye­size were not considered) and Macpherson (1994). Munida asprosoma is readily distinguished from M. microps by the larger, broader eyes, and pair of anterior spines on the second abdominal somite. The identity of Baba’s (1994) specimens require verification, but they are probably not referable to M. microps .

Distribution. Coral Sea, Queensland, and Broken Bay, New South Wales, at depths between 823 and 990–1053 m.

Figures

FIGURE 3. Munida asprosoma n. sp., holotype female (26.2 mm), AM P26795. A, dorsum. B, left basal antennular segment, ventral. C, left antennal peduncle, ventral. D, right third maxilliped, lateral. E, right cheliped. F–H, right pereopods 2–4, dorsal. I, sternum. Scale A, E–H = 4 mm, B–D, I = 2 mm.