Manipontonia psamathe (De Man, 1902)

(Figs. 1–2)

Urocaris psamathe De Man, 1902: 816; pl. 25, fig. 51 [type locality – Ternate, Indonesia].

Periclimenes (Ancylocaris) psamathe . — Kemp 1922: 173.

Periclimenes (Harpilius) psamathe . — Holthuis 1952: 61, fig. 23. — Monod 1976: 14, figs. 1–28.

Periclimenes psamathe . — Bruce 1966: 21, figs. 3c, 4c d; 1976: 10; 1978: 218, fig. 7; 1979: 227; 1991: 238, figs. 1a, 3a. — Fransen 1994: 128, pl. 3E. — De Grave 2000: 139.

Manipontonia psamathe . — Bruce et al. 2005: 6, figs. 1-3 (synonymy).

Material examined. Ovigerous holotype female, pocl 4.0 mm, SMF 8530, Indonesia, Moluccas, Ternate, 1894, leg. W. Kükenthal; 10 ov. females, 15 males, South China Sea, Vietnam, Nhatrang Bay, Mun Island, 12 m depth, on gorgonarian, 12.VII.2006, leg. I. Marin.

Diagnosis. Small-sized shrimp with slender body (Fig. 1). Carapace swollen, smooth, with antennal and hepatic teeth; epigastric tooth clearly separated from rostral teeth, well developed, with serrated inner margin. Rostrum (Figs. 2 A–B) long and slender, with distal part turned upward, rostral formula 1+5/0, with well marked proximal dorsal crest bearing 3 large, ventrally serrated, teeth and one dorsal tooth situated in intermediate part of the rostrum, distal part of rostrum slender, smooth dorsally and ventrally, with small subapical tooth. First pereiopod slender, segments unarmed. Second pereiopod unequal; major pereiopod (Fig. 2 C) overreaching scaphocerite by almost entire merus; ischium about 20 times as long as maximal width; merus about twenty-five times longer than maximal width, slightly spinulated; carpus is about 12 times as long as maximal width, bearing numerous small acute tubercles, broadening distally; palm (Fig. 2 D) cylindrical, about 5 times as long as maximal width, bearing numerous small acute tubercles; fingers slender, about 5 times as long as wide, straight, bearing 2 triangular teeth on proximal part. Ratio of dactylus: propodus: carpus is about 1: 2.5: 6. Minor pereiopod (Fig. 2 E) with slender, smooth segments reaching to about mid length of major cheliped carpus; ischium about 13 times as long as maximal width; merus about 16 times as long as maximal width; carpus about 12 times as long as maximal width, broadening distally; palm cylindrical, about 7 times as long as maximal width; fingers slender, about 5 times as long as wide, straight, with straight cutting edges and acute tips. Ratio of dactylus: propodus: carpus is about 1: 2.5: 5. Third pereiopod slender; propodus about 20 times as long as wide, with 5 ventral spines, with pair of slender simple distoventral spines; dactylus simple, slender and curved, about 4 times as long as wide, with acute, sharp tip.

Ecology and Distribution. Widespread throughout the tropical Indo-West Pacific from the east coast of Africa to the Carolina Islands; sublittoral, 20–80 m (De Grave 2000; Bruce et al. 2005); commensal with hydroids, gorgonians, alcyonarians and antipatharians (after Bruce et al. 2005).