Dicranodromia spinulata Guinot, 1995

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 : 6-7

Dicranodromia spinulata Guinot, 1995

( Fig. 1a)

Dicranodromia spinulata Guinot, 1995 ; 225, figs 21 a–c, 22 A–B, 25 D. — Ahyong 2008: 11 , fig.1C.

Material Examined. Diabolical Seamount (Graveyard Complex), Chatham Rise: NIWA stn Z10697 , 1 female, 10.9 mm x 14.1 mm, 42°47.57’S, 179°58.86’W, 950– 900 m, Tangaroa , stn TAN0104/47, 16 Apr. 2001 ( NIWA 42394 ) .

Zombie Seamount (Graveyard Complex), Chatham Rise: NIWA, stn Z10727 , 1 male, 6.9 mm x 9.3 mm, 42°46.07’S, 179°55.31’W, 955– 890 m, Tangaroa , stn TAN0104/336, 20 Apr. 2001 ( NIWA 42395 ) ; NIWA stn Z10728 , 1 male, 6.5 mm x 8.9 mm, 42°46.00’S, 179°55.36’W, 970– 900 m, Tangaroa , stn TAN0104/337, 20 Apr. 2001 ( NIWA 42396 ) ; NIWA stn Z10793 , 1 damaged female, 6.7 mm x 7.8 mm, 42°45.81’S, 179°59.25’W, 927– 886 m, Tangaroa , stn TAN0104/395, 21 Apr 2001 ( NIWA 42397 ) ; NIWA stn Z10743 , 1 female, 7.5 mm x 10.3 mm, 1 ovigerous female, 8.8 mm x 11.9 mm, 1 male, 5.8 mm x 8.9 mm, 42°43.20’S, 179°57.63’W, 1012– 890 m, Tangaroa , stn TAN0104/399, 21 Apr. 2001 ( NIWA 42398 ) .

East of North Cape: NIWA stn Z11063 , 1 male, 5.6 mm x 7.4 mm, 34°09.85’S, 173°57.84’E, 820– 805 m, Kaharoa, stn KAH0204/40, 18 Apr. 2002 ( NIWA 42399 ) ; NIWA stn Z11066 , 2 males 5.5 mm x 7.3 mm, 9.2 mm x 11.5 mm, 34°02.55’S, 174°49.02’E, 830– 792 m, Kaharoa, stn KAH0204/47, 19 Apr. 2002 ( NIWA 48725 ) .

Remarks. The two genera in the family, Dicranodromia and Homolodromia A. Milne Edwards, 1880 , are represented in New Zealand. Guinot (1995) revised the family. Dicranodromia spinulata Guinot, 1995 was first reported from New Caledonia at depths of 535– 680 m. Subsequently it was taken from samples east of New Zealand, with the first report by Ahyong (2008) of one of the specimens from the Rock Garden cold seep on the Hikurangi Plateau examined here. Most of the specimens had in fact already been sent to the present author by Steve O’Shea for identification and so the remainder of the collection is reported herein. Most of the material comes from the Chatham Rise, which extends the distribution of the species further south to 42°47.57’S and increases the depth range from 535–747 m to 535–1012 m.

The maximum size for the New Zealand specimens is 9.2 mm x 11.5 mm for males and 10.9 mm x 14.1 mm for females. These are considerably larger than specimens from New Caledonia. An ovigerous female, 8.8 mm x 11.9 mm, from NZOI, stn Z10743 , near the maximum depth carried approximately 20 eggs 2.0 mm in diameter, much larger than reported for a female from New Caledonia (CL 5.5 mm) carrying oval-shaped eggs 1.2 mm x 1.3 mm diameter ( Guinot 1995). Guinot did not give the number of eggs but it may well be that, given the relationship between egg size and egg number, the brood size was greater than for the Chatham Rise female. A female D. nagai Guinot, 1995 from Japan was recorded with less than 20 eggs (exact size unknown) under its abdomen, some of which had hatched into megalopae, thereby showing that this species has direct development. It may well be that D. spinulata also has direct development in the southern part of its range.

Distribution Dicranodromia spinulata is known from New Caledonia, and in New Zealand waters, east of North Cape and the Chatham Rise. Depth range 535–1012 m.

regions presented herein.