Petrolisthes politus ( Gray, 1831 )

Poupin, Joseph & Lemaitre, Rafael, 2014, Porcellanid crabs from Guadeloupe Island (Crustacea, Decapoda, Anomura), with an updated list of species from the Lesser Antilles, Zoosystema 36 (1), pp. 5-27 : 20-24

Petrolisthes politus ( Gray, 1831)

( Fig. 4C )

Porcellana polita Gray, 1831: 14 (type locality: not indicated).

Petrolisthes politus – Stimpson 1859: 74 ( Virgin Islands, Barbados). — Schmitt 1936: 374 ( Bonaire). — Monod 1939: 559 ( Guadeloupe). — Haig 1956: 21 ( Curaçao, Tobago); 1962: 178 ( Virgin Islands). — Rodríguez 1980: 217, pl. 4 (Los Roques). — Scelzo & Varela 1988: 41 (La Blanquilla). — Lira 1997: 84, fig. 24 (Margarita, also Aves in distribution). — Werding et al. 2003: 81, tab. 1 (Lesser Antilles). — Rodríguez et al. 2005: 564 (Cubagua, also Aves, Aruba in distribution). — Lira et al. 2012: 24, fig. 2H (La Tortuga).

Petrolisthes magnifica – Schmitt 1924a: 73 ( Antigua, Curaçao); 1924b: 89 ( Barbados).

MATERIAL EXAMINED. — Guadeloupe. KARUBENTHOS, 2012, 1 ♀ ov. 6.0 × 6.3 mm, MNHN-IU-2013-5076, 1 ♂ 4.9 × 5.2 mm, MNHN-IU-2013-6858, st. GM07, lot JL356 ; 1 ♂ 8.4 × 9.1 mm, MNHN-IU-2013-5059, st. GM07, lot JL379; 1 ♂ 8.0 × 8.6 mm, MNHN- IU-2013-5077, 2 juv., MNHN-IU-2013-5198, st.GM08, lot JL398; 3 juv., MNHN-IU-2013-5217, st. GM33, lot JL1368; 1 juv. 2.9 × 3.1 mm, MNHN-IU-2013-5591, st. GM33, lot JL1374.

DIAGNOSIS. — Carapace with posterolateral regions expanded, finely granulated to almost smooth; supraocular and external orbital angles unarmed, epibranchial notch unarmed. Carpus of cheliped with three low but distant teeth on anterior margin, and five-six inwardly curved spines on distal half of posterior margin; dorsal surface granulated with some short transverse striae. Chela granulated on dorsal surface, unarmed on anterior and posterior margins; gape of fingers usually glabrous. Ambulatory legs with fringes of setae on anterior margin; merus with three-seven spines on anterior margin; carpus with one anterodistal spine (leg 1) or unarmed (legs 2-3); dactylus with three movable spines on posterior margin. Telson composed of seven plates.

REMARKS. — The dark brown live coloration illustrated in Fig. 4C is sometimes replaced by a lighter brown tone but the red-brown band across the dactyli of the ambulatory legs appears constant. In juveniles (e.g., juv. 2.9 × 3.1 mm, MNHN-IU-2013-5591, at st. GM33), the small white spots on the carapace and ambulatory legs are replaced by larger, white to light blue spots. Segments of the third maxilliped are generally dark brown, fading to orange on the distal margin of the propodus and most of the surface of the dactylus.

In one male (8.0 × 8.6 mm, MNHN-IU-2013-5077), the gape of fingers of only the left cheliped is pubescent on the ventral face. Other specimens examined lack such a tuft of setae.

HABITAT. — Collected in the intertidal region at low tide among rocks and coral rubble, and limited sandy areas between rocks.

DISTRIBUTION. — Western Atlantic: from Florida Keys, USA, Bahamas, Greater Antilles, Virgin Islands and Lesser Antilles (ICA, Antigua, Guadeloupe, Barbados, Tobago; IOV, Margarita, Cubagua, La Blanquilla, La Tortuga, Los Roques, Aves, Bonaire, Curaçao, Aruba), Mexico, Belize, Panama, Colombia, to Venezuela.

Petrolisthes quadratus Benedict, 1901 ( Fig. 4D, E )

Petrolisthes quadratus Benedict, 1901: 134 , pl. 3, fig. 4 (type locality: Ponce, Puerto Rico). — Schmitt 1924a: 73 ( Curaçao); 1924b: 89 ( Barbados). — Haig 1956: 18 (Cubagua, Curaçao, Aruba); 1962: 176 ( Virgin Islands). — Chace & Hobbs 1969: 121, figs 32, 34a ( Dominica). — Scelzo & Varela 1988: 41 (La Blanquilla). — Werding et al. 2003: 81, tabl. 1 (Lesser Antilles). — Rodríguez et al. 2005: 564 (La Tortuga; also Trinidad, Bonaire in distribution). — Lira et al. 2012: 23, fig. 2E (La Tortuga).

MATERIAL EXAMINED. — Guadeloupe. KARUBENTHOS, 2012, 1 ♂ 4.5 × 4.6 mm, MNHN-IU-2013-5355, st. GM06, lot JL245 ; 1 ♂ 3.5 × 3.5 mm, 2 ♀♀ 3.4 × 3.4, 4.0 × 4.1 mm, MNHN-IU-2013-5298, st. GM10, lot JL554; 2 ♂♂ 3.2 × 3.2 mm, 3.5 × 3.5 mm, MNHN- IU-2013-6886, st. GM10, lot JL555.

DIAGNOSIS. — Carapace quadrate, granulated; supraocular and external orbital angles unarmed; epibranchial region unarmed. Carpus of cheliped straight, minutely serrated on anterior margin; posterior margin evenly curved, with transverse low squamae forming a longitudinal crest, distal angle produced and obtusely triangular; dorsal surface granulated, with two shallow longitudinal grooves. Chela glabrous, with dorsal surface granulated, unarmed on anterior and posterior margins; gape of fingers with pubescence. Ambulatory legs unarmed and glabrous on anterior margins; dactylus with four movable spines on posterior margin. Telson composed of seven plates.

REMARKS. — This is the first record of P. quadratus from Guadeloupe Island.

The live coloration shows variations, as illustrated on Fig. 4D, E : the carapace and chelipeds are brown with white speckles ( Fig. 4D ) or totally cream-white ( Fig. 4E ). Color pattern of the ambulatory legs is more constant, banded in white and light brown with high ( Fig. 4D ) or low ( Fig. 4E ) tones.

HABITAT. — Collected in the intertidal region on coral substrate, in tide pools or among rocks and coral rubble. At Dominique Island, Chace & Hobbs (1969) indicated that this species was very abundant at high tide on the splash zone, at sand level, just below an area of rocks piled upon one another.

DISTRIBUTION. — Western Atlantic: from Florida Keys, USA, Bahamas, Greater Antilles, Virgin Islands and Lesser Antilles (ICA, Guadeloupe, Dominica, Barbados, Trinidad; IOV, La Blanquilla, Cubagua, La Tortuga, Bonaire, Curaçao, Aruba), Mexico, Belize, Panama, Colombia, to Venezuela.

Petrolisthes rosariensis Werding, 1978 ( Fig. 4F )

Petrolisthes rosariensis Werding, 1978: 214 (type localities: Santa Marta and Nenguange, Colombia). — Werding et al. 2003: 81, tab. 1 (Lesser Antilles; probably from USNM holdings 270473 and 270474, Tobago Island, pers. com. R. Lemaitre).

MATERIAL EXAMINED. — Guadeloupe. KARUBENTHOS, 2012, 1 ♂ 3.7 × 3.6 mm, 1 ♀ 3.3 × 3.0 mm, MNHN- IU-2013-5427, st. GD20, lot JL707b.

REMARKS. — This species belongs to the P. galathinus complex with most of the morphological characters similar to those of P. caribensis . The main differences with P. caribensis are: 1) carapace with two epibranchial spines; 2) gape of fingers glabrous; and 3) carpus of ambulatory leg three without anterodistal spine. Within the six species of this complex in the southern Caribbean Sea, P. rosariensis is distinctive by the lack of pubescence in the gape of fingers of the cheliped (see Hiller et al. 2006: 549, tab. 1).

This is the first record of Petrolisthes rosariensis from Guadeloupe Island.

The Guadeloupe specimens have a strong supra-ocular spine, with a second spine, unilaterally, on only one specimen, instead of “No strong supra-ocular spine but one to three supra-ocular spinules often present” indicated by Werding (1982) when describing the species. Rodríguez et al. (2005) discussed on the presence or absence of a strong supra-ocular spine in P. rosariensis . The present observation in our specimens supports previous suggestion that the development of the supra-ocular spine(s) may be variable in P. rosariensis .

Coloration on a recently preserved specimen ( Fig. 4F ) shows the ventral surfaces of the chelipeds and ambulatory legs are still purplish, as indicated by Werding (1982), and the ambulatory legs with the same transverse bands on the dactyls, propods and carpi ( Fig. 4F ) as those illustrated in P. rosariensis by Hiller et al. (2006: 549, http://www.unigiessen.de/ porcellanidae /).

Although P. rosariensis was described in detail by Werding (1982), the original description is by Werding (1978), as discussed by Rodríguez et al. (2005:565).According to data given by Werding (1983: 408, tab.1) and Hiller et al. (2006: 561, fig. 6), P. rosariensis nests apart from the P. galathinus complex clade,and is more closely related to its eastern Pacific geminate, P.glasselli Haig, 1957 (see Hiller et al. 2006: 558).

HABITAT. — Collected by dredge on flat and soft bottoms, at 35 m.

DISTRIBUTION. — Western Atlantic: from Greater Antilles, Lesser Antilles (ICA, Guadeloupe, Tobago), Belize, Panama, Colombia to Paraiba, Bahia, Brazil.

Porcellana sayana ( Leach, 1820) ( Fig. 4G )

Pisidia sayana Leach, 1820: 54 (type localities: Georgia and Florida).

Porcellana ocellata – Stimpson 1859: 77 ( Virgin Islands).

Porcellana sayana – Schmitt 1924b: 89 ( Antigua, Barbados). — Chace 1956: 152 (Los Roques). — Haig 1956: 32 (Coche, Cubagua); 1962: 186 ( Virgin Islands). — Gore 1974: 715 (Martinique). — Scelzo & Varela 1988: 42 (La Blanquilla). — Lira 1997: 117, fig. 34 (Margarita). — Hernández et al. 1999: 27, tab. 1 (Margarita). — Werding et al. 2003: 81, tab. 1 (Lesser Antilles). — Rodríguez et al. 2005: 564 (Margarita). — Lira et al. 2012: 27, fig. 3F (La Tortuga).

MATERIAL EXAMINED. — Guadeloupe. KARUBENTHOS, 2012, 1 sp. MNHN-IU-2013-4986, 1 sp. MNHN- IU-2013-5063, 1 sp. MNHN-IU-2013-5064, st. GD33, lot JL925 ; 1 ♂ 9.9 × 9.1 mm, MNHN-IU-2013-4985, 1 sp. MNHN-IU-2013-5061, st. GR31, lot JL955; 1 ♂ 6.0 × 5.5 mm, MNHN-IU-2013-5425, st. GR27, lot JL836.

DIAGNOSIS. — Carapace minutely granulate, with fine oblique plications on branchial regions; front tridentate with margins slightly tuberculate; supra-ocular angle produced into a frontal lateral tooth reaching about midlength of rostrum; external orbital angle produced into broad tooth; epibranchial region with shallow indentation, sometimes with terminal spine. Anterior margin of carpus of cheliped unarmed, proximal half produced into broad lobe, anterodistal angle rounded; posterior margin slightly curved, unarmed. Carpus and chela with low plications, almost smooth on dorsal surfaces. Chela fringed with long plumose setae on anterior margin; posterior margin rounded, unarmed; gape of fingers glabrous. Ambulatory legs unarmed on anterior margins, with sparse long setae; dactylus with four movable spines on posterior margin. Telson composed of seven plates.

REMARKS. — This is the first record of P. sayana from Guadeloupe Island.

Porcellana sayana is a common species that can be recognized in situ based on its color pattern and the presence of a broad proximal lobe on the anterior margin of the carpus of the cheliped.

HABITAT. — Common in shallow-waters in a variety of habitats. During KARUBENTHOS it was collected during scuba dives at depths of 8-14 m and by dredging at 130 m the deepest record for this species (previously known to 110 m). López-Victoria et al. (2004) reported symbiotic relationships between P. sayana , the hermit crab Dardanus fucosus Biffar & Provenzano, 1972 and the sea anemone Calliactis tricolor (Lesueur, 1817) . Recently, more associations were also reported by Lira et al. (2012: 28), with other hermit crabs, Dardanus venosus (H. Milne Edwards, 1848) , Paguristes grayi Benedict, 1901 , Paguristes puncticeps Benedict, 1901 , Pagurus pollicaris Say, 1817 , Paguristes tortugae Schmitt, 1933 , Petrochirus diogenes (Linnaeus, 1758) , the brachyuran crab, Stenocionops furcatus (Olivier, 1791) , the gastropod, Lobatus gigas (Linnaeus, 1758) , and the holothurian, Astichopus multifidus (Sluiter, 1910) .

DISTRIBUTION. — Western Atlantic: from North Carolina, USA, Bahamas, Greater Antilles, Virgin Islands and Lesser Antilles (ICA, Antigua, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Barbados; IOV, Coche, Margarita, Cubagua, La Blanquilla, La Tortuga, Los Roques), Mexico, Belize, Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, Guyanas, to Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.

Porcellana sigsbeiana A. Milne-Edwards, 1880 ( Fig. 4H )

Porcellana sigsbeiana A. Milne-Edwards, 1880: 35 ( Virgin Islands). — Gore 1974: 716 ( Trinidad, Margarita). — Werding et al. 2003: 81, tab. 1 (Lesser Antilles).

,, MATERIAL EXAMINED. — Guadeloupe. KARUBENTHOS, 2012, 1 ♂ 3.1 × 2.6 mm, MNHN-IU-2013-5218, st. GB17, lot JL876.

DIAGNOSIS. — Carapace smooth; front strongly tridentate, with margins entire; supra-ocular angle produced as frontal lateral tooth reaching about midlength of rostrum, external orbital angle produced into strong tooth; epibranchial region with deep V-shaped indention and minute terminal spine. Anterior margin of carpus of cheliped almost straight, with minute denticle on proximal half; posterior margin slightly curved, terminating into distal spine; dorsal face smooth. Dorsal surface of chela smooth, anterior margin minutely serrated, with fringe of long plumose setae; posterior margin rounded, unarmed; gape of fingers glabrous. Ambulatory legs unarmed but with sparse long setae on anterior margins; dactylus with four movable spines on posterior margin. Telson composed of seven plates.

REMARKS. — This is the first record of P. sigsbeiana , from Guadeloupe Island.

The present small specimen keyed out to P. sigsbeiana by using Lemaitre & Campos (2000) key.It is close to Porcellana lillyae Lemaitre & Campos, 2000 , but differs in: 1) the margins of rostrum and lateral teeth of front (supra-ocular angle) are entire, instead of dentate; 2) the ventral margin of rostrum are unarmed, instead of bearing two-four small spines; and 3) the anterior margin of carpus of cheliped has a single proximal spine, instead of entirely spinulose.

HABITAT. — On rocky bottoms in shallow-waters, at a depth of 13 m. Collected by brushing on coral heads.

DISTRIBUTION. — Western Atlantic: from Massachusetts, USA, Greater Antilles, Virgin Islands and Lesser Antilles (ICA, Guadeloupe, Trinidad; IOV, Margarita), Mexico, Honduras, Colombia, Venezuela, Suriname, to Pará and Maranhao, Brazil.

Figures

FIG. 4. — A, Petrolisthes hispaniolensis Werding & Miller, 2005, 1 ♂ 3.3 × 3.2 mm, MNHN-IU-2013-7156, st. GM22; B, Petrolisthes jugosus Streets, 1872, 1 ♀ 3.8 × 4.1 mm, MNHN-IU-2013-5292, st. GM07; C, Petrolisthes politus Gray, 1831, 1 ♀ ov. 6.0 × 6.3 mm, MNHN-IU-2013-5076, st. GM07; D, E, Petrolisthes quadratus Benedict, 1901; D, 1 ♀ 4.0 × 4.1 mm, MNHN-IU-2013-5298, st. GM10; E, 1 ♂ 3.5 × 3.5 mm, MNHN-IU-2013-6886 (right cheliped is detached), st. GM10; F, Petrolisthes rosariensis Werding, 1978, 1 ♀ 3.3 × 3.0 mm, MNHN-IU-2013-5427, st. GD20 (preserved specimen); G, Porcellana sayana (Leach, 1820), 1 ♂ 9.9 × 9.1 mm, MNHN- IU-2013-4985, st. GR31; H, Porcellana sigsbeiana A. Milne-Edwards, 1880, 1 ♂ 3.1 × 2.6 mm, MNHN-IU-2013-5218, st. GB17. Magnification is about × 3 for C, G, and × 5 for the others species.