Paliculus foliatus Castro, 2000

Castro, Peter, 2010, A new species and new records of palicoid crabs (Crustacea, Decapoda, Brachyura, Palicoidea, Palicidae, Crossotonotidae) from the Indo-West Pacific region, Zoosystema 32 (1), pp. 73-86 : 78-80

Paliculus foliatus Castro, 2000

( Fig. 2 )

Paliculus foliatus Castro, 2000: 530 , 588, fig. 32.

MATERIAL EXAMINED. — Loyalty Is. Atelier LIFOU 2000 , Lifou I., stn 1453, Baie du Santal, aspirate near large coral heads, 20°54.6’S, 167°02.1’E, 21-30 m, XI.2000, 1 ♂ ( MNHN-B28016 ). — Stn 1453, Baie du Santal, 20°54.6’S, 167°02.1’E, aspirate, 21-30 m, XI.2000, 1 ♂, 1 ♀ ( MNHN-B28012 ). — Stn 1436, Baie du Santal, 20°55.5’S, 167°04.2’E, aspirate, 10-30 m, 10.XI.2000, 1 ♀, cl 5.1 mm, cw 5.2 mm (MNHN- B28011) ; 2 ♀♀ ( MNHN-B27998 ). — Stn 1449, Baie du Santal, 20°45.8’S, 167°01.65’E, brushing of hard surface, 17 m, 17.XI.2000, 1 pre-adult ♀ ( MNHN-B27984 ) .

Philippines. PANGLAO 2004, Bohol I., Panglao I., stn B10, Momo Beach, 09°36.393’N, 123°45.639’E, 3-14 m, 10. VI.2004, 1 ♀ ( ZRC 2008.0944). — Stn B41, floor of large cave, 09°30.9’N, 123°40.8’E, 17-19 m, 4.VII.2004, 1 ♀ ( ZRC 2008.0945).

DISTRIBUTION. — New Caledonia, Loyalty Is ( Castro 2000: table 6), and now the Philippines. Depth: 3-30 m ( Castro 2000: table 5).

REMARKS

Paliculus foliatus was described from a single female specimen. The discovery of two male specimens now permits the description of the male.

DESCRIPTION OF MALE

Carapace as in females ( Fig.2A ; Castro 2000:fig.32), subquadrate, depressed, with 4 narrow, pointed anterolateral teeth on each side. Dorsal surface covered with rounded tubercles, granular bosses on metagastric region; depressed area along confluence of branchial, mesogastric regions; posterior border medially pointed, with 4 conspicuous tubercles. Supraorbital borders each with pointed median lobe. Postorbital angle long, outwardly projecting. Suborbital borders each limited by conspicuous, ventrally projecting pterygostomial lobe, broad, rounded outer lobe.

A

Dorsal borders of cheliped (P1) propodus with conspicuous, rounded tubercle. Borders of meri, carpi of ambulatory legs (P2-P4) with dorsoventrally flattened, rounded tubercles. Basal antennal article with slightly expanded outer margin, 3 rounded tubercles along expanded margin. Epistome narrow, vertically inclined, with no apparent teeth. P2-P4 slender but with flattened, non-filiform propodi. Upper, lower borders of meri with thin, rounded tubercles; distalmost tubercle on each anterior border much wider at base, higher; similar thin, rounded tubercles on anterior borders of propodi; meri with long plumose setae. P2 shorter, more slender than P3, P4. P5 short (0.7 cl), dorsal to P4; propodus with 4 low tubercles, 3 of which topped by short spine; dactylus with 4 short, thin spines along posterior border, terminal pointed tooth.

Abdomen ( Fig. 2B ) narrow, with somites 3-5 fused but articulations still visible, remaining somites freely articulating. G1 ( Fig. 2C ) with sinuous basal part; distal part simple, with sub-acute apex, rows of small teeth. G2 much shorter than G1.

REMARKS

Paliculus foliatus was described from a small (cl 5.0 mm, cw 5.0 mm), ovigerous female collected from an unknown depth atTouho, northeastern coast of New Caledonia ( Castro 2000: 530). Diagnostic of the species is a depressed, leaf-like carapace covered dorsally with many conspicuous, spherical tubercles and granular bosses, a cryptic appearance which is unique among known palicids ( Fig. 2A ; Castro 2000:fig.32a). Also characteristic are dorso-ventrally flattened, rounded tubercles along the margins of the ambulatory legs (P2-P4) (Fig. 3; Castro 2000: fig.32c), which complement the cryptic appearance of the carapace.

The aspiration and brushing of coral and rock surfaces in relatively shallow water at Lifou I., Loyalty Is, east of New Caledonia, during the Atelier LIFOU 2000 resulted in the collection of five females (one pre-adult and four adults, of which one was ovigerous) and two males. The largest specimen was a female (cl 5.1 mm, cw 5.2 mm, MNHN-B 28011). The specimens were obtained from three stations at depths of 10- 30 m. The species is also recorded for the first time from the Philippines, where two females were collected from depths of 3- 19 m.

Paliculus foliatus , now known from the Philippines, New Caledonia, and the Loyalty Is ( Castro 2000: table 6), most probably has a wider geographical distribution. Its very small size and cryptic morphology make detection and collection difficult. It appears to be restricted to hard substrates in coral reefs and marine caves.

Figures

FIG. 2. — Paliculus foliatus Castro 2000: A, ♀, cl 4.5 mm, cw 4.5 mm, Philippines, Panglao I., PANGLAO 2004, stn B10, 3-14 m (ZRC 2008.0944);B, C, ♂, cl 4.8 mm, cw 5.0 mm, Baie du Santal, aspirate near large coral heads, Lifou I., Loyalty Is, Atelier LIFOU 2000, stn 1453 (MNHN-B28016); B, abdomen; C, left G1, dorsal view. Scale bars: B, 1 mm; C, 0.5 mm.