Neocallichirus mauritianus ( Miers, 1882 )

Poore, Gary C. B., 2023, New records and one new species of Callichiridae (Crustacea, Axiidea) from the Indo-West Pacific, with keys to species of Corallianassa, Lepidophthalmus and Neocallichirus, Memoirs of Museum Victoria (Mem. Mus. Vic.) 82, pp. 71-95 : 87

Neocallichirus mauritianus ( Miers, 1882)

Callianassa mauritiana Miers, 1882: 341–342 .— Miers, 1884: 15, pl. 1 fig. 2.— Nobili, 1906: 106, figs 5, 6.— Kensley, 1975: 51–53, fig. 3. Callianassa (Trypaea) mauritiana .— Borradaile, 1903: 546 (list). Callianassa (Cheramus) mauritiana .— De Man, 1928a: 26, 99, 160. Neocallichirus mauritianus .— Sakai, 1999: 103, fig. 21.— Sakai, 2011: 461.

Diagnosis. Eyestalk distal lobes triangular, rounded, diverging. Major cheliped merus lower margin with distinct proximal prominent square dentate blade, denticulate over distal three-quarters (male), or with proximal prominent triangular dentate blade, denticulate over distal three-quarters (female); gape with deep notch below triangular tooth in male; fixed finger cutting edge smooth; dactylus cutting edge with proximal molar-like tooth, distal half dentate (male). Pereopod 3 propodus with proximally directed lobe of lower margin protruding slightly beyond lower margin of carpus. Uropodal endopod posterior margin decidedly oblique, angle with anterior margin about 40°. Telson clearly tapering from greatest width at midpoint. Maximum cl. 25 mm.

Distribution. Western Indian Ocean (known only from type locality: Mauritius).

Remarks. The types have been illustrated three times. No material was available for this study. Although the species has been said to occur in the Red Sea ( Kensley, 1975; Sakai, 1999) the only hitherto published records are from Mauritius ( Miers, 1882; Kensley, 1975). If Neocallichirus pola Sakai and Türkay, 2014 were treated as a junior synonym the distribution of N. mauritiana would in fact include the Red Sea. The telson in particular of the two species are indistinguishable.