Pseudopalicus undulatus Castro, 2000

Published, First, 2009, New records of crabs (Decapoda: Brachyura) from the New Zealand region, including a new species of Rochinia A. Milne-Edwards, 1875 (Majidae), and a revision of the genus Dromia Weber, 1795 (Dromiidae), Zootaxa 2111, pp. 1-66 : 33-34

Pseudopalicus undulatus Castro, 2000

( Figs. 14a, b)

Pseudopalicus undulatus Castro, 2000: 483 , figs 12f, 14, 53.

Material Examined. East of North Cape: 1 ovigerous female, 11.0 mm x 9.1 mm, 34° 06 34.22’S, 174° 08 18.05’E, 600– 562 m, Kaharoa, stn KAH0204/09, 14 Apr. 2002 ( NIWA 48577 ) .

Remarks. The genus Pseudopalicus contains 11 species found in the Indo-West Pacific region, from the coast of Africa to French Polynesia and as far north as Japan and as far south as New Zealand. The first reported palicid from New Zealand waters was P. oahuensis ( Rathbun, 1906) by Takeda & Webber (2006) collected in 1975, from a depth of 530–585 m off Raoul I., northeast of New Zealand. P. undulatus Castro, 2000 is the second species recorded and comes from a similar depth East of North Cape, so is much closer to the New Zealand mainland. This record considerably extends the southernmost limit for this species from around 18°S ( Fiji) to 34°S ( New Zealand). It has also been recorded from the Coral Sea, Indonesia, South China Sea and Japan. Castro (2000) gave the reliably known depth as 206–410 m, but the New Zealand specimen came from 600– 562 m, thereby extending the lower depth limit. These species can be distinguished the number of anterolateral teeth, 3 for P. undulatus , 4 for P. oahuensis .

Three other species, P. acanthodactylus Castro, 2000 , P. declivis Castro, 2000 and P. glaber Castro, 2000 are known from the Norfolk Ridge. Thus 5 of the 11 species in the genus are known from the warmer waters of New Zealand and nearby areas to the north. Other palicid species occurring near New Zealand include Crossotonotus spinipes ( De Man, 1888) also from the Norfolk Ridge. The excellent revision by Castro (2000) provides keys to identify the genera and species of the Indo-West Pacific Palicidae .

The ovigerous female P. undulatus carried around 800 small eggs (diameter = 0.45 mm) that are protected by a brood chamber formed by the swollen abdomen fitting tightly with the elevated sternal rim. In this respect palicids are similar to leucosiids. The small egg size indicates that this species has indirect development.

Distribution includes the Coral Sea, Indonesia, South China Sea, Japan, Fiji and now New Zealand. Depth range is 206– 600 m.