Gonodactylus botti Manning, 1975

Brokensha, Rouane, Landschoff, Jannes & Griffiths, Charles, 2023, New and notable stomatopods (Crustacea, Stomatopoda) from Mozambique, European Journal of Taxonomy 900 (1), pp. 148-179 : 164

Gonodactylus botti Manning, 1975 new record

Fig. 8

Gonodactylus botti Manning, 1975: 289 , fig. 1 [type locality Jakarta, Indonesia].

Gonodactylus botti – Manning & Lewinsohn 1986: 5, 15 (list), fig. 3. — Manning 1990: 97, 104 (key). — Cappola & Manning 1995: 274–275. — Ahyong 2005: 159.

non Gonodactylus chiragra – Holthuis 1967: 26, 41 (list), fig. 7a. — Tirmizi & Manning 1968: 21, fig. 7. [not G. chiragra ( Fabricius, 1781) ].

non Gonodactylellus affinis – Moosa 1991: 155. [not Gonodactylellus affinis ( de Man, 1902) ].

Diagnosis

Ocular scales broad, flattened, separate, together slightly broader than 0.50 rostral plate width, anterior margins transverse. Rostral plate basal portion with anterior margins slightly concave; anterolateral angles rounded; lateral margins divergent anteriorly; apical spine just longer than base. Lateral margin of TS6 broader than TS7. Telson with LT tooth indicated by shallow notch in margin of telson between anterolateral angle and apex of IM tooth; mid-dorsal carinae blunt, neither sharp nor crested dorsally and strongly inflated in adults; MD carina unarmed posteriorly; accessory MD carinae forming ‘anchor’; with 8–13 SM denticles. Uropodal exopod distal segment outer margin with 12 movable spines.

Material examined

MOZAMBIQUE • 1 ♁ (TL 53 mm), 1 ♀ (TL 40 mm); Coconut Bay ; 24°00′21.6″ S, 35°30′28.7″ E; depth unknown; 17 May 1973; event no. 19730517; SAMC – A019434 .

SOUTH AFRICA • 1 ♂ (TL 63 mm), 8 ♀♀ (TL 10–66 mm); Jesser Point , Sodwana Bay; 27°32′33″ S, 32°40′50.0″ E; rock pool at 13.5 m depth; 2Aug. 1976; event no. RW 26; R. Winterbottom leg; S.Ahyong det.; SAMC – A015632 .

Colour in alcohol

Faded yellow, but with scattered blue pigment on all limbs and uropods. Dactylus of raptorial claw white. Raptorial claw with ‘meral spot’ also white. Colour in life unknown.

Measurements

Male (n = 1) TL 53 mm. A1 peduncle 6.0CL. A2 scale 0.58CL. AWCLI 755.

Distribution and habitat

Indonesia to Western Indian Ocean from Pakistan, Red Sea, Persian Gulf, Somalia, South Africa and now Mozambique [Inhambane]. Found in southern Africa by Ahyong (2005) from the coral reef systems in both sandy and rocky tidal pools at the base of dead coral in shallow water; shore to 13.5 m depth.

Remarks

As G. botti is presently understood, historical species records are restricted to localities west of Pakistan ( Ahyong 2005). It was first recorded from southern Africa by Ahyong (2005) in the coral reefs of Sodwana Bay, South Africa. This single male specimen from Coconut Bay is the first account of the species from Mozambique.

Figures

Fig. 8. Gonodactylus bottiManning, 1975, ♂, TL 63 mm (SAMC–A015632). A. Anterior cephalothorax, dorsal. B. Right raptorial claw, lateral. C. Ocular scales, dorsal. D. TS6–8, right lateral. E. Right pleopod 1 endopod, anterior. F. Telson, left lateral. G. Right uropod, ventral. H. AS6, telson and right uropod, dorsal. Scale bar: A, C–H = 2 mm; B = 4 mm.