Trapezia areolata Dana, 1852

PETER CASTRO, PETER K. L. NG & SHANE T. AHYONG, 2004, Phylogeny and systematics of the Trapeziidae Miers, 1886 (Crustacea: Brachyura), with the description of a new family, Zootaxa 643, pp. 1-70 : 48

Trapezia areolata Dana, 1852

Remarks. Trapezia areolata was described from an unspecified number of specimens from Tahiti, Society Islands, French Polynesia ( Dana 1852: 259). Dana’s material is no longer extant. The species had been frequently confused with T. septata Dana, 1852 , until Galil & Lewinsohn (1985) showed the distinctiveness of each taxon. Considering the history of this species, a neotype should be selected to ensure the name remains as is currently used.

A female (MNHN­B 25313; cl 5.3 mm, cw 6.2 mm) from Anuanuraro Atoll (20º25’S, 134º30’W), Tuamotu Archipelago, French Polynesia is herein designated as the neotype of Trapezia areolata Dana, 1852 . It was collected by J. Poupin from Pocillopora at a depth of 1 m on April 1996. The characteristic pattern on the dorsal surface of the carapace (brown lines that form a honeycomb pattern of mostly large rectangles) is visible in the neotype specimen, even if out of focus and barely seen in the colour photograph of the specimen given by Castro (1997b: pl. 1, fig. c).