Paragiopagurus hirsutus (De (De Saint Laurent, 1972)

Lemaitre, R., 1996, Hermit crabs of the family Parapaguridae (Crustacea: Decapoda: Anomura) from Australia: species of Strobopagurus Lemaitre, 1989, Sympagurus Smith, 1883 and two new genera., Records of the Australian Museum 48 (2), pp. 163-221 : 217-218

Paragiopagurus hirsutus (De Saint Laurent, 1972)

Parapagurus acutus hirsutus De Saint Laurent, 1972: 113 , fig. 19 (type locality: Japan, Tosa Bay ) .

Sympagurus acutus hirsutus .- Lemaitre, 1989: 37.- Lemaitre, 1994: 412.

Hoiotype. Male, Japan, Tosa Bay, Nov 1963, colI. K. Sakai (not seen).

Australian material. WESTERN AUSTRALIA: 1 male (SL 5.0 mm), NW of Collier Bay , FRV Soeia , 14°16.5'S, 122°36.6'E, 302 m, 14 Feb 1984, coil. S. Slack-Smith, WAM .

QUEENSLAND: 2 males (SL 4.0, 6.1 mm) , 1 female ovig. (SL 3.6 mm), off Tully, 16°51.8'S, 147°08'E, epibenthic sledge, ORV Franklin, 500 m, 16 May 1986, coli. JCU, QM . 1 female (SL 4.1 mm), 1 female ovig. (SL 4.0 mm), offTully, 17°51.3'S, 147°07.8'E, trawled, ORV Franklin, 505 m, 17 May 1986, coil. JCU, QM .

Other material. (For meaning of asterisks see Materials and Methods). SOUTHWESTERN INDIAN OCEAN?: 1 female (SL 5.6 mm), off Durban , 73 m, NMV 116205 (see remarks) . SOUTH CHINA SEA: 2 (dismembered, sex indet.), near Hong Kong , Albatross, sta. 5314, 21°41'N, 116°46'E, 223 m, 5 Nov 1908, USNM 168988 *. 7 males (SL 4.4 -6.3 mm), near Hong Kong , Albatross, sta. 5313, 21°30'N, 116°43'E, 274 m, 4 Nov 1908, USNM 168987 *.

PHILIPPINES: 4 males (SL 6.8- 7.2 mm) , 1 female (SL 5.7 mm), N Luzon, off Hermanas Is., Albatross, sta. 5325, 18°34'15"N, 121°51'15"E, 410 m, 12 Nov 1908, USNM 168989 *. 2 males (SL 4.0, 5.8 mm), Verde Is. Passage, off Matocot Point, Albatross, sta. 5268, 13°42'N, 120057'E, 311 m, 8 Jun 1908, USNM 168984 *. 3 males (SL 4.7-5.3 mm), 3 females (SL 4.8- 5.8 mm), 2 (dismembered, sex indet.), Verde Is. Passage, off Matocot Point, Albatross, sta. 5289, 13°41'50"N, 120058'30"E, 315 m, 22 Jul 1908, USNM 168985 *. 1 male (SL 5.4 mm), Verde Is. Passage, off Matocot Point, Albatross, sta. 5297, 13°41'20"N, 120058'E, 362 m, 24 Jul 1908, USNM 168986 *.

NEW ZEALAND: 1 female ovig. (SL 8.8 mm), Wanganella Bank , Norfolk Ridge, E slope, RV Tangaroa, NZOI sta. 0.634, BS 888, 32°40.2'S, 167°39.0'E, 487- 357 m, 29 Jan 1981, NMNZ Cr 8459 .

Diagnosis. Phyllobranchiate gills. Shield (Fig. 28a) as long as broad; dorsal surface weakly calcified medially; rostrum broadly rounded, with low dorsal ridge; anterior margins weakly concave; lateral projections subtriangular, terminating in small spine; ventrolateral margin with spine (not always visible in dorsal view); posterior margin broadly rounded. Ocular peduncles more than half length of shield; ocular acicles (Fig. 28b) subtriangular, terminating in strong multifid spine (rarely simple on one side); corneae slightly dilated. Maxillule with internal lobe of endopod bearing 3 or 4 long setae. Sternite of 3rd maxillipeds with small spine on each side of midline. Epistomial spine straight, frequently bifid. Antennular peduncle exceeding distal margin of corneae by 0.75 length of ultimate segment. Antennal peduncle (Fig. 28c) reaching distal margin of cornea; 2nd segment with dorsolateral distal angle produced, terminating in strong simple spine reaching to midpoint of antennal acicle; acicles reaching distal margin of corneae, mesial margin with 8 to 13 spines; flagellum with long setae 3 or 4 flagellar articles in length. Chelipeds markedly dissimilar, surfaces with moderately dense setae interspersed with numerous long, stiff setae (shown partially in Fig. 28f,d). Right cheliped (Fig. 28d) with palm broader than long, fingers curved ventromesially, dactyl with longitudinal row of blunt spines on ventral face; dorsal face of palm with strong spines (at least proximomedially), ventral face with numerous tubercles; palm with dorsolateral and dorsomesial margins each well delimited by row of strong spines, and ventromesial face rounded; carpus with numerous small tubercles or spines on dorsal surface. Left cheliped (Fig. 28t) with lateral face of carpus usually weakly calcified; with dorsal row of 2 to 6 small, well-spaced spines, and strong dorsodistal spine on carpus. Ambulatory legs (Fig. 28 g-i) with dactyls having ventromesial row of 8 to 13 corneous spines, and dorsal and dorsomesial rows of long setae; carpi each with small dorsodistal spine; carpus of 2nd pereopod with dorsal margin armed with 1 to 4 small spines. Anterior lobe of sternite of 3rd pereopods setose, armed with 1 or 2 marginal spines. Fourth pereopod (Fig. 28j) with propodal rasp consisting of 1 row of ovate scales. Uropods and telson (Fig. 281) markedly asymmetrical; telson lacking transverse suture separating anterior and posterior lobes; posterior lobes separated by U-shaped median cleft, terminal margins armed with often long, curved corneous spines. Males lacking 1st gonopods, with unpaired, uniramous 2nd left pleopod (Fig. 28k). Females with vestigial right 2nd pleopod.

Habitat and symbiotic associations. Inhabits gastropod shells.

Distribution. Indo Pacific: China Sea; Philippines; Australia; New Zealand; questionably from off Durban, South Africa (see remarks). Depth: 223 to 505 m.

Affinities. Paragiopagurus hirsutus resembles P acutus and P bicarinatus , but can easily be differentiated from those two species by armature and setation of the right chela. In P hirsutus the spines on the dorsal surface of the chela are distinctly stronger and sharper than in P acutus and P bicarinatus ; the surface of the right chela has numerous long, stiff setae, whereas those of P acutus and P bicarinatus do not.

Remarks. As previously mentioned, Sympagurus acutus hirsutus (De Saint Laurent, 1972) is herein elevated to specific rank (see remarks under Paragiopagurus acutus ).

A single specimen (NMV 116205) of Paragiopagurus hirsutus presumably from off Durban, South Africa, in the western Indian Ocean, was examined. No data is available on when or how this specimen was obtained and deposited in NMV (G.c.B. Poore, pers. comm.). Although this species has not been previously collected outside the western Pacific, it is conceivable that its distribution may include the Indian Ocean. However, until more specimens are found that would confirm such a distribution, the presence of this species in the western Indian Ocean is considered questionable.