Singhaplax ockelmanni ( Serène, 1971 )

Castro, Peter, 2007, A reappraisal of the family Goneplacidae MacLeay, 1838 (Crustacea, Decapoda, Brachyura) and revision of the subfamily Goneplacinae, with the description of 10 new genera and 18 new species, Zoosystema 29 (4), pp. 609-774 : 713-714

Singhaplax ockelmanni ( Serène, 1971)

Goneplax ockelmanni Serène, 1971: 915 , pl. 4, fig. D [ Thailand]. — Serène & Umali 1972: 78 [in key], 82, figs 82-89 [ Thailand]. — Davie et al. 2002: 331 [Andaman Sea coast of Thailand]. — Ng & Davie 2002: 377 [Andaman Sea coast of Thailand].

Singhaplax ockelmanni – Serène & Soh 1976: 18, fig. 15, pl. 6, fig. A [ Thailand].

TYPE MATERIAL. — ♂ holotype, cl 3.0 mm, cw 5.2 mm ( ZMUC).

TYPE LOCALITY. — Thailand, Andaman Sea coast.

MATERIAL EXAMINED. — Philippine Islands. Bohol, Balicasag I., off Panglao I., PANGLAO 2004, stn T5, Bohol I., west of Balayon, 09°35.3’N, 123°52.2’E, 84-87 m, coarse muddy sand, 2.VI.2004, ♂ cl 4.0 mm, cw 8.7 mm, ♀ cl 4.0 mm, cw 8.5 mm ( ZRC 2004.0786). — Stn T28, Panglao I., 09°35.0’N, 123°51.4’E, 80 m, muddy sand, 1.VII.2004, ♂ cl 3.9, cw 8.0 mm ( ZRC 2004.0787).

DISTRIBUTION. — Andaman Sea coast of Thailand ( Serène 1971; Serène & Umali 1972; Serène & Soh 1976; Davie et al. 2002; Ng & Davie 2002) and now from the Philippine Is.

REMARKS

Although very briefly described ( Serène 1971: 915, as Goneplax ockelmanni ), additional information and detailed illustrations on S. ockelmanni were given by Serène & Umali (1972: 82, figs 82-89, as Goneplax ockelmanni ) and Serène & Soh 1976: 18, fig. 15, pl. 4, fig. A). The holotype of the species was unfortunately not examined.

The male specimens from the Philippine Is and Indonesia examined, however, have the characteristic wide abdomen, the bilobed and beak-like G1, and the long G2 illustrated for S. ockelmanni . The spinules on the G1, however, are not as conspicuous as those shown by Serène & Umali (1972: figs 86, 87) and particularly by Serène & Soh (1976: fig. 15B, B’). The G2 is not as long as that shown by Serène & Umali (1972: fig. 88) but it is similar to that illustrated by Serène & Soh (1976: fig. 15C). The chelipeds (P1) meri and propodi of two males (cl 4.0 mm, cw 8.7 mm, cl 3.9, cw 8.0 mm; ZRC) were longer than those of the smaller male holotype. The chelipeds of the third specimen, a female (cl 4.0 mm, cw 8.5 mm), nevertheless agree with those of the holotype as illustrated by Serène & Umali (1972: figs 83, 84).

The teeth are slender and placed approximately on the medial axis of the carapace ( Serène & Umali 1972: fig. 82), similar to their position in S. dichotoma n. sp., S. rhamphe n. sp., and S. orientalis ( Tesch, 1918) . In the remaining three described species of Singhaplax , however, the teeth are in a more anterior position on the carapace (see Figs 37 ; 39 ).

Figures

FIG. 37. — Singhaplax platypoda n. sp.,pre-adult ♀ paratype,cl 3.3 mm,cw 6.0 mm,Futuna I., MUSORSTOM 7, stn DW 495 (MNHN-B 30068).

FIG. 39. — Singhaplax styrax n. sp., ♂ holotype, cl 4.1 mm, cw 6.7 mm, Kai Is, Indonesia, KARUBAR, stn DW 18 (MNHN-B 29211): A, dorsal surface of the carapace; B, left G1, ventral view; C, left G2, ventral view. Scale bars: A, 5 mm; B, C, 1 mm.