Praebebalia fungifera, Galil, 2015

Galil, Bella S., 2015, On a collection of Leucosioidea (Crustacea, Decapoda, Brachyura) from Papua New Guinea, with the description of a new species, European Journal of Taxonomy 155, pp. 1-10 : 5-7

Praebebalia fungifera sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:AC7FB29B-FC85-4218-98FA-BAEB3162ECC6

Figs 2–3

Etymology

From fungus L., mushroom, for the fungiform granules on the dorsal surface of the carapace.

Material examined

Holotype

PAPUA NEW GUINEA: ♂, cl 8.8 mm, SE of Manus I., BIOPAPUA Stn CP 3693, 02°10’ S, 147°17’ E, 300 m, 29 Sep. 2010 (MNHN-IU-2013-5996).

Paratypes

PAPUA NEW GUINEA: 6 ♂♂, cl 7.0– 8.6 mm, 6 ♀♀, cl 5.5–10.3 mm, same data as holotype (MNHN- IU- 2011-2763); 2 ♂♂, cl 8.8–9.1 mm, 1 ♀, cl 7.4 mm, SE of Manus I., BIOPAPUA Stn CP 3693, 02°10’ S, 147°17’ E, 300 m, 29 Sep. 2010 (MNHN-IU- 2011-2209); 1 ♂, cl 8.5 mm, E of Manus I., BIOPAPUA Stn CP 3693, 02°10’ S, 147°17’ E, 300 m, 29 Sep. 2010 (MNHN-IU-2013-5995); 3 ♂♂, cl 6.7–8.9 mm, 1 ♀, cl 9.9 mm, SE of Manus I., BIOPAPUA Stn CP 3693, 02°10’ S, 147°17’ E, 300 m, 29 Sep. 2010 (MNHN-IU- 2011-2107).

Description

Carapace globose, pyriform, regions ill-defined. Dorsal surface of carapace set with flat-topped, fungiform granules, five granulate tubercles medially, intestinal tubercle largest, conical ( Fig. 2 ). Postorbital region concave. Row of nearly contiguous agariciform granules medially to cardiac region. Intestinal region tumescent, faintly demarcated by shallow grooves. Front prominent, bilobed, frontal lobes tumid, widened anteriorly, minutely granular, setose. Eyes small. Orbital margin bifissured dorsally, V-shaped fossa laterally; infraorbital lobe spiniform, prominent. Antennules obliquely folded, basal antennular segment sealing lower antennular aperture. Antennae small, slender, basal antennal segment inserted in inner orbital hiatus. Buccal frame trapezoid, narrowing antedorly. Third maxilliped bearing prominent agariciform granules; exognath slightly shorter, more slender than endognath, merus more than half as long as ischium. Anterior margin of efferent branchial channel unifissured, apparent in dorsal view, curved distad. Anterolateral margins of carapace with two subequal fungiferous tubercles; subhepatic margin visible in dorsal view, closely set anteriorly with agariciform granules, subhepatic tubercle fungiferous. Midlateral and posterolateral tubercles conical, set with fungiform granules, smaller, closer-set distally. Posterior margin of carapace bituberculate, tubercles conical, slender, proximally bearing fungiferous granules, distally upcurved. Chelipeds slender, subcylindrical, minutely granular, very long; merus in adult male 1.3× as long as carapace; propodus somewhat thicker distally, fingers two-thirds as long as propodus, tips crossing when closed. Ambulatory legs slender, short, dactyls long, setose. Thoracic sternites granular. Sternoabdominal cavity deep, elongate, nearly reaching buccal cavity, margins lamellate in female. Male abdomen with somites 3–5 fused, narrowing distally, basiolateral regions of fused somites inflated. Lateral margin of somite 6 ridged medially, fitting into groove at seam between plastron and sternite 5. Telson longer than sixth abdominal somite, bearing conical tooth basally. Adult female abdomen with somites 3–6 fused, greatly swollen, telson laciniate. G1 with stout basal stalk, flanged on interior margin, tapering, distally curved distad, preapically set with long, microscopically serrate setae, tip beak-like; G2 short, distally scoop-like ( Fig. 3 ). Vulvae submedially on sternite 5, near suture 4/5; gonopore round, small, directed anteriorly, slightly raised rim posteriorly.

Remarks

Of the 12 species assigned to the genus Praebebalia Rathbun, 1911 , only two ( P. extensiva Rathbun, 1911 and P. septemspinosa Sakai, 1983 ) were retained in the genus following revision and two were newly described ( P. madagascariensis Galil, 2001 and P. magna Galil, 2001 ) ( Galil 2001b). The genus is characterized by its subcircular, globose carapace, with tubercle medially on lateral margin; bilobed front; conical intestinal region; lateral angles of posterior margin of carapace prominently spinose; male abdomen with somites 3–5 fused; G1 elongate, preapically set with long setae; and very long chelipeds. Praebebalia fungifera sp. nov. differs from the western Indian Ocean species, P. madagascariensis ( Madagascar) , P. magna ( Madagascar, Mozambique) and P. extensiva ( Seychelles, Saya de Malha Bank), in its flat-topped, fungiform granules on the dorsal surface of the carapace and a spine on the posterolateral margin; it differs from P. septemspinosa ( Philippines) , with which it shares the latter character, in its shorter chelipeds (1.3 as compared to twice as long as carapace), and G1 relatively stout, slightly bent distad, preapically set with setae, tip beak-like ( Fig. 3 ), as compared to the elongate, distally curved G1 of P. septemspinosa , preapically set with very long setae, tip hook-like ( Galil 2001b: fig 4b–c).

Distribution

Known only from the type location, Manus I., Papua New Guinea; 300 m.

Figures

Fig. 2. Praebebalia fungifera sp. nov., holotype, ♂ (8.8 mm) (MNHN-IU-2013-5996). Carapace and chelipeds, dorsal view. Papua New Guinea.

Fig. 3. Praebebalia fungifera sp. nov., holotype, ♂ (8.8 mm) (MNHN-IU-2013-5996). A. Left G1 (ventral view), distal part of left G1 (dorsal view). B. Left G2. Scales: A–B = 1.0 mm.