Paramedaeus simplex (A. Milne-Edwards, 1873 )

Mendoza, Jose Christopher E. & Ng, Peter K. L., 2010, The Euxanthine Crabs (Crustacea: Brachyura: Xanthidae) Of The Philippines, Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 58 (1), pp. 57-74 : 69

Paramedaeus simplex (A. Milne-Edwards, 1873)

( Fig. 2E )

Paramedaeus simplex – Serène & Umali, 1972: 67, Pl. 7 Figs. 3–4 .

Material examined. – 1 male, 14 × 9.0 mm ( ZRC 1965.8.4.1), Batangas, coll. P. Palarca, 25 Apr.1963 ; 2 juv., 3.9 × 3.0 to 4.1 × 3.0 (NMCR-27355), Stn. B 14, coral rubble, 2–4 m, 9°38.5'N 123°49.2'E, Sungcolan Bay, Panglao Is., coll by Panglao Marine Biodiversity Project , 16 Jun.2004 ; 1 male, 9.0 × 6.2 mm, 1 ovig. female, 11.1 × 7.8 mm, 1 juv., 4.7 × 3.4 mm ( ZRC 2008.1408 ), Stn. B 18, blocks dispersed among seagrass, 3–5 m, 9°38.5'N 123°49.7'E, Sungcolan Bay, Panglao Is., coll. PANGLAO 2004 Marine Biodiversity Project , 20 Jun.2004 ; 1 female, 9.7 × 6.8 mm (NMCR-27356), Stn. S 7, sand with seagrass, 1–4 m, 9°38.5'N 123°49.2'E, Sungcolan Bay, Panglao Is., coll. PANGLAO 2004 Marine Biodiversity Project , 09 Jun.2004 .

Remarks. – This species was described from Madagascar (A. Milne-Edwards, 1873) and has been reported from various localities in the Indian Ocean ( Ward, 1942; Guinot, 1967a; Serène, 1984) and in the Pacific Ocean (De Man, 1902; Rathbun, 1906; Edmonson, 1925; Takeda, 1972, 1976; Ng & Clark, 2002). This species has been previously reported from the Philippines by Serène & Umali (1972), based on a single male collected from Batangas. It is interesting to note that all of the specimens reported in this paper, one of them ovigerous, are much smaller than this male specimen (carapace, 14.0 × 9.0 mm). Ng & Clark (2002) remarked on the differences in size at maturity of the specimens found in Hawaii, Guam, New Caledonia and the Philippines and suggested that Paramedaeus simplex may be a species complex. The present material also indicates that a revision of this species is clearly necessary.

Figures

Fig. 2. Live colouration of euxanthine crabs from the Philippines: A, Hypocolpus haanii Rathbun, 1909, male juv., (11.5 × 8.0 mm) (B11, Pamilacan Is., ZRC 2008.1383); B, Ladomedaeus fungillus Manuel-Santos & Ng, 2007, male juv. (9.7 × 7.0 mm) (CP2708, ZRC 2008.1389); C, Miersiella cavifrons Takeda, 1989, male (9.8 × 6.6 mm) (L36, Panglao Is., ZRC 2008.1391); D, Paramedaeus globosus Serène & Vadon, 1981, male (6.0 × 4.6 mm) (T36, Cervera Shoal, MNHN-B31891); E, Paramedaeus simplex (A. Milne-Edwards, 1873), female (9.7 × 6.8 mm) (S7, Panglao Is., NMCR-27356); F, Paraxanthodes obtusidens (Sakai, 1965), male (18.6 × 13.0 mm) (CP2747, ZRC 2008.1410).

Fig. 3. Hypocolpus abbotti (Rathbun, 1894), male, (41.6 by 28.7 mm) (Balicasag Is., MNHN-B31888): A, dorsal view; B, fronto-lateral view of subhepatic cavity; Hypocolpus haanii Rathbun, 1909, male (49.5 × 34.5 mm) (Balicasag Is., NMCR-27339); C, dorsal view; D, fronto-lateral view of subhepatic cavity; Hypocolpus kurodai Takeda, 1980, male (21.0 × 13.5 mm) (Marinduque, NMCR-6609); E, dorsal view; F, fronto-lateral view of subhepatic cavity.

Fig. 4. Epistocavea mururoa Davie, 1993, male (33.2 × 23.5 mm) (L36, ZRC 2008.1371): A, dorsal view; B, frontal view; Miersiella haswelli (Miers, 1886), male (7.4 × 5.5 mm) (CP2343, Pamilacan Is., ZRC 2008.1400); C, dorsal view; D, ventral view; Paraxanthodes obtusidens (Sakai, 1965), female (30.1 × 20.3 mm) (Balicasag Is., NMCR-27357); E, dorsal view; F, frontal view; G, Medaeops granulosus (Haswell, 1882), female (12.5 × 9.0 mm) (Iloilo, NMCR-9705); H, Paraxanthodes cumatodes (MacGilchrist, 1905), male (5.7 × 4.1 mm) (T1, Panglao Is., ZRC 2008.1409).