Merhippolyte chacei Kensley, Griffin & Tranter, 1987

Ahyong, Shane T., 2010, New species and new records of Caridea (Hippolytidae: Pasiphaeidae) from New Zealand *, Zootaxa 2372 (1), pp. 341-357 : 354

Merhippolyte chacei Kensley, Griffin & Tranter, 1987

( Fig. 4F )

Merhippolyte chacei Kensley, Griffin & Tranter, 1987: 309–312 , figs. 18, 19 [type locality: E. of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 686 m]. — Poore et al. 2008: 84.

Material examined. Bay of Plenty: NIWA 13674 , 1 female (cl 8.2 mm), Tumokemoke Seamount, 37°27.95– 27.97’S, 176°57.28–57.05’E, 474– 435 m, TAN0413/168, 15.XI.2004 .

Challenger Plateau: NIWA 33172 , 3 ov. females (cl 8.4–9.5 mm), 38°12.45’S, 168°35.10’E, 512–526 m, TAN0707/84, 3. VI.2007; NIWA 42683 , 1 ov. female (cl 9.3 mm), 39°32.61’S, 169°42.87’E, 636– 634 m, TAN0707/93, 4. VI.2007.

Remarks. The specimens agree well with the type description and extend the known range of the species from southern Australia to the Challenger Plateau, New Zealand. The rostral spination of the New Zealand specimens (5 or 6 dorsal of which 2 are postorbital; 7 ventral) resembles that of Australian material (4 or 5 dorsal of which 2 are postorbital; 7 ventral) ( Kensley et al. 1987).

Distribution. Southern Australia (New South Wales, Tasmania, Western Australia) and now from the Challenger Plateau and Bay of Plenty, New Zealand; 435–1000 m.

Figures

FIGURE 4. A–B, Leontocaris amplectipes Bruce, 1990, carapace, male (cl 8.5 mm) (NIWA 13678), female (cl 6.8 mm) (NIWA 13677). C, Leontocaris alexander Poore, 2009, carapace, ov. female (cl 6.8 mm) (NIWA 33119). D, Leontocaris yarramundi Taylor & Poore, 1998, carapace, male (cl 7.6 mm) (NIWA 29687). E, Lysmata vittata (Stimpson, 1860), carapace, sex indet., tcl 5.7 mm (NIWA (MITS) 5523). F, Merhippolyte chacei Kensley, Griffin & Tranter, 1987, carapace, ov. female (cl 8.9 mm) (NIWA 33172). G–H, Alainopasiphaea australis (Hanamura, 1989), anterior carapace, female (tcl 16.8 mm), female (16.9 mm), both NIWA 33095. Scale: A–D, F–H = 2.0 mm; E = 1.0 mm.