Eplumula australiensis ( Henderson, 1888 )

Castro, Peter, Williams, Austin B. & Cooper, Lara L., 2003, Revision of the family Latreilliidae Stimpson, 1858 (Crustacea, Decapoda, Brachyura), Zoosystema 25 (4), pp. 601-634 : 605-609

Eplumula australiensis ( Henderson, 1888)

( Figs 2 ; 3A ; 4) Latreillia australiensis Henderson, 1888: 24 , pl. 2, fig. 4, 4a, 4b. — Dell 1968: 23. — Campbell 1971: 30. — Rice 1981: fig. 2b. — Wear & Fielder 1985: 20, figs 43-48.

Eplumula australiensis – Williams 1982: 230, fig. 8 (references). — McLay 1988: 76, fig. 12. — Muraoka 1992: fig. 2C, D. — Davie 2002: 250.

TYPE MATERIAL. — Lectotype: 1 ♀ 10.2 × 6.2 mm, Challenger, stn 163A (BMNH 1888.33); paralectotypes: 1 ♀ 9.7 × 5.4 mm, Challenger, stn 163A; 1 ♂ 6.6 × 4.0 mm; 1 ♀ 6.7 × 4.0 mm, Challenger, off Port Jackson (BMNH 1888.33). Henderson (1888: 25), however, mentioned material from stn 163A of the Challenger as “two adult specimens, male and female, the latter bearing ova, and the remains of a third immature individual”. The four specimens used by Henderson in his description represent the syntypes. One of the four syntypes, the largest and only complete female from stn 163A, is hereby designated as the lectotype, and the remaining three specimens, the second female from stn 163A and the male and female from the Port Jackson station, as the paralectotypes.

TYPE LOCALITY. — Australia, New South Wales, Twofold Bay, Challenger, stn 163A, 274 m.

MATERIAL EXAMINED. — Western Australia. Bluefin, W Rottnest I., 146 m, 10.VIII.1962, R. W. George coll., 3 ♂♂ (WAM C28957). — W Rottnest I., 155- 174 m, 12.VIII.1962, R. W. George coll., 1 ovig. ♀ (WAM C28930). — NW Rottnest I., 154-162 m, 15.VIII.1962, R. W. George coll., 1 undet. sex (WAM C28948).

CSIRO, stn 131, 27°40’S, 113°02’E, 128 m, 22.VIII.1962, 2 ♂♂, 1 ovig. ♀ (WAM C28962).

Off Cape Naturaliste, CSIRO, stn 134, 137-155 m, 20.VIII.1963, 1 ♂, 1 ovig. ♀, 1 undet. sex (WAM C28947). — W. Rottnest I., stn 144, 110 m, 1963, 3 ♂♂, 3 ♀♀, 4 ovig. ♀♀ (WAM C28946). — Stn 178, 22°52’S, 113°29’E, 135 m, 6.X.1963, 1 ♂ (WAM C28945). — Stn 187, 23°39’S, 113°11’E, 134 m, 7.X.1963, 2 ♂♂ (WAM C28937), 1 ♂, 1 ♀, 2 ovig. ♀♀ (WAM C28938). — Stn 192, 24°04’S, 112°52’E, 137 m, 8.X.1963, 7 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀, 9 ovig. ♀ ♀ (WAM C28954). — Stn 197, 24°59’S, 112°27’E, 130 m, 8.X.1963, 1 juv. ♀ (WAM C28953). — Stn 199, 25°30’S, 112°08’E, 200 m, 8.X.1963, 1 ♀ (WAM C28943). — Stn 200, 25°31’S, 112°29’E, 130 m, 9.X.1963, 2 ♀♀ (WAM C28944). — Stn 204, 27°18’S, 113°16’E, 99 m, 9.X.1963, 1 ♂, 1 ovig. ♀ (WAM C28952). — Stn 208, 27°40’S, 113°20’E, 18 m, 10.X.1963, 1 ovig. ♀, 1 undet. sex (WAM C28950), 1 ovig. ♀ (WAM C28949), 1 ovig. ♀ (WAM C28933). — Stn 225, 32°00’S, 115°16’E, 137-143 m, 12.X.1963, 3 ♂♂, 4 juv. ♀♀, 3 ♀♀, 4 ovig. ♀♀, 1 undet. sex (WAM C28935), 1 ♂ (WAM C28951).

CSIRO, stn 12, 24°58’S, 112°30’E, 130 m, 30.I.1964, 1 ovig. ♀ (WAM C28939). — Stn 17, 22°59’S, 113°25’E, 130 m, 31.I.1964, 1 ovig. ♀ (WAM C28934). — Stn 29, 24°00’S, 112°51’E, 128- 130 m, 2.II.1964, 1 ♂ (WAM C28942). — Stn 40, 28°14’S, 113°28’E, 101 m, 4.II.1964, 3 ♂♂, 1 ovig. ♀ (WAM C28941). — Stn 46, 31°05’S, 114°55’E, 113-141 m, 5.II.1964, 1 ovig. ♀ (WAM C28928). — Stn 50, 32°03’S, 114°20’E, 113-135 m, 15.II.1964, 1 juv. ♀ (WAM C28956), 2 ♂♂ (WAM C28940). — Stn 54, 29°05’S, 113°56’E, 130-148 m, 16.II.1964, 1 ♂, 2 juv. ♀♀ (WAM C28936).

Diamantina , cruise 1/70, stn 4, 32°33’S, 115°04’E, 110 m, 23.XI.1970, 1 ovig. ♀ (WAM C17632). — Stn 17, 34°04’S, 114°40.2’E, 146 m, 24.XI.1970, 1 ♂ (WAM C17520). — Stn 37, 30°55’S, 114°48’E, 146 m, 27.XI.1970, 1 ♂ (WAM C28929). — Stn 55, 31°30’S, 115°08’E, 110 m, 28.XI.1970, 1 ovig. ♀ (WAM C17628). — Stn 106, 29°31’S, 114°10’E, 219 m, 8.XII.1970, 1 ♂ (WAM C17625).

Diamantina , cruise 1/72, stn 2, 32°24.6’S, 115°07’E, 219 m, 14.III.1972, 2 ♂♂, 2 juv. ♀♀, 1 ovig. ♀ (WAM C17332). — Stn 4, 32°24.5’S, 115°07’E, 146 m, 15.III.1972, 1 ♂ (WAM C17181). — Stn 5, 33°S, 114°38’E, 256 m, 15.III.1972, 1 juv. ♂ (WAM C17457). — Stn 8, 32°57’S, 114°48’E, 139- 122 m, 15.III.1972, 2 ♂ ♂ (WAM C17180). — Stn 9, 33°30’S, 114°31’E, 250- 237 m, 15.III.1972, 1 ovig. ♀ (WAM C17182). — Stn 20, 34°10’S, 114°31’E, 148 m, 16.III.1972, 1 ovig. ♀ (WAM C17192). — Stn 21, 33°44.5’S, 114°26.1’E, 238- 183 m, 16.III.1972, 1 ovig. ♀ (WAM C17186). — Stn 35, 31°45’S, 115°02’E, 265-276 m, 18.III.1972, 1 ♂, 4 ovig. ♀♀ (WAM C17268). — Stn 42, 30°58’S, 114°47’E, 289 m, 18.III.1972, 1 ♂ (WAM C17449). — Stn 48, 30°10’S, 114°13’E, 174-179 m, 19.III.1972, 1 ♂ (WAM C17389), 1 ♂ (WAM C17389), 1 ♂ (WAM C17388). — Stn 51, 29°33’S, 114°19.5’E, 152-157 m, 19.III.1972, 1 ovig. ♀ (WAM C17519). — Stn 54, 29°43’S, 114°17’E, 274- 283 m, 20.III.1972, 1 ♂ (WAM C17380). — Stn 55, 29°15’S, 114°01’E, 146 m, 20.III.1972, 1 ♂ (WAM C17372). — Stn 60, 29°30’S, 114°10’E, 183-194 m, 21.III.1972, 1 ♂ (WAM C17394). — Stn 63, 29°58’S, 114°27’E, 287-300 m, 22.III.1972, 1 juv. ♀ (WAM C17332). — Stn 64, 29°58’S, 114°24’E, 197- 219 m, 22.III.1972, 1 ovig. ♀ (WAM C17329). — Stn 68(3), 30°34’S, 114°44’E, 128 m, 22.III.1972, 3 ♂♂, 1 ovig. ♀ (WAM C17345). — Stn 73(1), 31°04’S, 113°50’E, 256 m, 23.III.1972, 2 ♂ ♂, 10 ovig. ♀♀ (WAM C17365). — Stn 73(2), 31°04’S, 113°50’E, 274 m, 23.III.1972, 2 ♂ ♂ (WAM C17364). — Stn 79, 31°59’S, 115°14’E, 182 m, 23.III.1972, 6 ♂♂ (WAM C17274).

Southeastern Australia. New South Wales, Challenger, stn 163A, off Twofold Bay, 274 m, 1 ovig. ♀ lectotype, 1 ♀ paralectotype. — Off Port Jackson, 55-64 m, 1 ♂ paralectotype, 1 ♀ paralectotype (BMNH 1888.33).

Bass Strait, F.I.S. Endeavour, 1909-1914, 1 ♂, 1 ovig. ♀ (USNM 551339).

CSIRO, Cronulla, 75 m, 7.XI.1963, 2 ♂♂, 3 ♀♀, 1 ovig. ♀ (WAM C28958). — Cronulla, 60-100 m, 5.XII.1963, 1 ♂ (WAM C28931).

New Caledonia. MUSORSTOM 5, stn 288, 24°04.8’S, 159°38.8’E, 270 m, 10.X.1986, 3 ♂♂,

1 ♀ (MNHN-B 28107). — Stn 289, 24°01.5’S, 159°38.4’E, 273 m, 10.X.1986, 1 ♂ (MNHN-B 28108).

BATHUS 2, stn CP 728, 22°47.11’S, 167°28.11’E, 241-245 m, 12.V.1993, 1 ovig. ♀ (MNHN-B 28109).

BATHUS 3, stn CH 801, 23°39’S, 158°00’E, 270- 300 m, 27.XI.1993, 1 ♂ (MNHN-B 28319).

DIAGNOSIS. — Dorsal surface of gastric region of carapace lacking spine ( Fig. 2 ) except in large females. Gastric region slender in appearance, length 0.4 or more of carapace length. Hepatic swellings each topped by tubercle or spine in large females only. Supraocular spines slightly shorter or same length than ocular

peduncles. Meri of third maxillipeds without tubercle or tooth on ventral surface ( Fig. 3A ) except in large females. Abdomen of adult males with middorsal protuberance on somite 1, acute spine on somite 2. Abdomen of adult females with middorsal protuberance on somite 1, slender spine on each somite 2, 3 ( Fig. 2 ); somites 4-6 broad and fused, with proximal spines laterally near articulation with somite 3, sometimes with midlateral pair on fused somite 5 in largest females.

DISTRIBUTION. — Eastern and southeastern Australia as far north as off Moreton Bay, southeastern Queensland (P. Davie pers. comm.) and as far south as Bass Strait between Victoria and Tasmania. Also known from the southwestern coast of Western Australia and the

Fig. 4. — Geographical distribution of Eplumula australiensis ( Henderson, 1888) (•) and E. phalangium (de Haan, 1839) (•).

northern

coast

of

North

Island

,

New

Zealand

(

Fig

.

4

)

.

1973

a

:

11

;

1973

b

:

23

;

1977

:

74

;

1978

:

76

;

1979

:

153

;

It is here recorded from Western Australia and New

Caledonia for the first time. Depth: 55-300 m.

REMARKS

The size and shape of the teeth and spines of the carapace and abdomen vary according to sex. The dorsal spine and the spine on each hepatic swelling are well developed in the largest females but typically absent in males and in smaller females. Henderson (1888: 25) reported the spines (as “cardiac” and “buccal” spines) as absent in the type material and this absence was used as a difference between his new species and E. phalangium (as L. phalangium ). The presence of spines as well as their relative size varies with overall size in females. Largest females also show a pair of acute midlateral spines on fused abdominal somite 5, as in the case of L. metanesa (see Fig. 8 ). The tooth on each merus of the third maxillipeds is present only in the largest females and in small and juvenile males. The chelae (P1) are thicker in males than in females.

Size

Maximum size: ♂ cl 15.3 mm, ♀ cl 19.0 mm ( Dell 1963).

Figures

FIG. 2. — Eplumula australiensis (Henderson,1888), New Caledonia, station data unrecorded, ♀, dorsal view,right pereopods omitted.

FIG. 3. — Scanning electron micrographs of right third maxillipeds; A, Eplumula australiensis (Henderson, 1888), station data unrecorded; B, Latreillia elegans Roux, 1830, Massachusetts, station data unrecorded; C, Latreillia metanesa Williams, 1982, New Caledonia, CHALCAL 2, stn DW 83, 200 m, juv. ♀ 7.5 × 4.4 mm (MNHN-B 28131); D, Latreillia valida de Haan, 1839, Philippine Islands, station data unrecorded.

FIG. 8. — Latreillia metanesa Williams, 1982, ventral view of abdomen; A, New Caledonia,CHALCAL 2, stn CH 4, 253 m, ovigerous ♀ 9.2 × 4.5 mm (MNHN-B 28257); B, New Caledonia, MUSORSTOM 4, stn DW 156, 525 m, ovigerous ♀ 11.3 × 5.1 mm (MNHN-B 28173); C, Tuamotu Archipelago, French Polynesia, stn 314, J. Poupin coll., 470 m, ovigerous ♀ 11.9 × 6.4 mm (MNHN-B 28152). Scale bars: 2.0 mm.