Uroptychus alcocki, AHYONG & POORE, 2004

Schnabel, Kareen E., 2009, A review of the New Zealand Chirostylidae (Anomura: Galatheoidea) with description of six new species from the Kermadec Islands, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 155 (3), pp. 542-582 : 549-551

publication ID

https://doi.org/ 10.1111/j.1096-3642.2008.00449.x

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03E487F2-FFD5-3C44-31D2-1B6F0BB7F21A

treatment provided by

Felipe

scientific name

Uroptychus alcocki
status

 

UROPTYCHUS ALCOCKI AHYONG & POORE, 2004 View in CoL

Uroptychus alcocki Ahyong & Poore, 2004: 15 View in CoL , fig. 2 [type locality: south-east of Ballina, New South

Wales, Australia, 29° 02′S, 153° 48′E, 137 m; holotype, ♀, AM P31412]. – Baba, 2005: 28, fig. 6 GoogleMaps .

Material examined: Lord Howe Ridge: 1 ♀ ovig. (7.1 mm), 24° 52.90′ S, 159° 37.30′ E, 69 m, 3.vi.1978, stn Q71 ( NIWA 23033 View Materials ) GoogleMaps . 6 ♀ ovig. (6.3–6.9 mm), 1 ♀ (6.1 mm), 5 ♂ (5.7–7.1 mm), 26° 59.70′S, 159° 18.90′E, 376–427 m, 2.vi.1978, stn Q70 ( NIWA 23030 View Materials ) GoogleMaps . 5 ♀ ovig. (5.5–7.0 mm), 1 ♀ (5.6 mm), 3 ♂ (6.4–7.4 mm), 27° 00.00′S, 159° 18.29′E, 354–377 m, 2.vi.1978, stn Q69 ( NIWA 23031 View Materials ) GoogleMaps . 7 ♀ ovig. (4.9–8.6 mm), 1 ♀ (6.4 mm) 9 ♂ (4.1–7.4 mm), 27° 00.00′S, 159° 18.29′E, 354–377 m, 2.vi.1978, stn Q69 ( NIWA 23032 View Materials ) GoogleMaps . Guyot Seamount: 1 ♀ (4.9 mm), 1 ♂ (5.5 mm), 27° 59.59′S, 155° 37.50′E, 420 m, 11.xii.1979, stn P925 ( NIWA 10893 View Materials ) GoogleMaps . West Norfolk Ridge : 1 ♂ (6.8 mm), 32° 10.80′S, 167° 21.19′E, 356 m, 25.vii.1975, stn I96 ( NIWA 23034 View Materials ) GoogleMaps . Norfolk Ridge: 1 ♀ (5.0 mm), 28° 54.60′S, 167° 44.20′E, 390–402 m, 27.i.1977, stn P27 ( NIWA 23036 View Materials ) GoogleMaps . 1 ♀ ovig. (8.5 mm), 29° 41.83′S, 168° 02.62′E, 337– 322 m, 14.v.2003, RV Tangaroa , stn TAN0308/20 ( NMNZ Cr. 012074) GoogleMaps . 1 ♂ (5.9 mm), 32° 37.38′S, 167° 35.17′E, 126– 121 m, 29.v.2003, RV Tangaroa , stn TAN0308/106 ( NMNZ Cr. 012075). Kermadec Ridge GoogleMaps : 1 ♂ (6.1 mm), 30° 31.60′S, 178° 34.39′W, 275 m, 27.iii.1982, stn T255 ( NIWA 23035 View Materials ) GoogleMaps . 2 ♀ ovig. (8.6, 8.8 mm), 33° 02.59′S, 179° 34.60′W, 350–490 m, 18.vii.1974, NZOI stn K795 ( NMNZ Cr. 012076) GoogleMaps . 1 ♀ ovig. (5.9 mm), no station information, stn B.S. 353 ( NMNZ Cr. 012077) .

Diagnosis: Carapace glabrous; longer than wide; lateral margins subparallel, with anterolateral spine, lateral spine at base of indistinct cervical groove and usually with small spine at anterior margin of branchial region; dorsum unarmed. Rostrum broad triangular, slightly broader than long, nearly horizontal. Sternal plastron about as wide as long along midline; sternite 3 strongly depressed, anterior margin distinctly concave with pair of median spines. Telson having posterior lobe relatively long and narrow, about 2.5 times that of anterior lobe. Eyes not extending beyond (but nearly reaching) tip of rostrum. Basal antennal article with small outer spine; ultimate article with distal spine. Antennal scale slightly extending beyond midlength to barely reaching end of ultimate article. Maxilliped 3 merus with small spine on distal portion of extensor margin; merus with small distolateral spine and small extensor marginal spine proximally. Pereopod 1 (cheliped) propodus palm entirely granular; carpus, merus, and ischium with distinctly granular ventral surface; ischium with short distolateral spine. Pereopods 2–4 carpi and meri unarmed along dorsal margin; propodi with row of 6–8 inclined spines, distalmost paired; dactyli with large, sharp triangular, slightly inclined and widely spaced spines along flexor margin.

Variation and remarks: New Zealand material corresponds well with the descriptions given by Ahyong & Poore (2004) and Baba (2005). Small variations were noted as follows: the lateral carapace margin may have a bifurcate large spine behind the anterolateral spines ( NIWA 23033), and a second spine behind the anterolateral spine is frequent but absent in about 10% of specimens; the lateral margin of the rostrum may be convex (more leaf-like) ( NIWA 23033); the

KEY TO NEW ZEALAND SPECIES OF UROPTYCHUS View in CoL

1. Dorsal surface and appendages covered with denticles or small spines .............. Uroptychus kaitara View in CoL sp. nov.

– Dorsal surface and appendages not covered with denticles or small spines.................................................2

2. Lateral margins of carapace with spines, other than anterolateral spine ................................................... 3

– Lateral margins of carapace without spines, other than anterolateral spine ............................................... 6

3. Single spine on carapace lateral margin only........................................................................................4

– Multiple spines on carapace lateral margin.......................................................................................... 5

4. Rostrum wide, triangular (about as broad as long). Penultimate antennal articles unarmed........................... ............................................................................................. Uroptychus alcocki Ahyong & Poore, 2004 View in CoL

– Rostrum narrow, triangular (longer than broad). Penultimate antennal article with distal spine ..................... ........................................................................................... Uroptychus novaezelandiae Borradaile, 1916

5. Dorsal carapace surface with spines. P2–4 carpi and meri with dorsal spines......... Uroptychus paku View in CoL sp. nov.

– Dorsal carapace surface unarmed. P2–4 carpi and meri of unarmed................ Uroptychus yaldwyni View in CoL sp. nov.

6. Carapace wider than long (including rostrum). Sternum at least three times as wide as long along midline...... ...................................................................................................... Uroptychus scambus Benedict, 1902 View in CoL

– Carapace longer than wide (including rostrum). Sternum at most slightly wider than long...........................7

7. P2–4 dactyli with flexor marginal spines (other than distal two) strongly inclined, nearly contiguous to flexor margin....................................................................................... Uroptychus australis ( Henderson, 1885) View in CoL

– P2–4 dactylus with flexor marginal spines not contiguous to flexor margin................................................ 8

8. P2–4 propodi with row of spines along flexor margin ............................................................................. 9

– P2–4 propodi with distal spines only ................................................................................................. 12

9. Lateral carapace margins parallel. Rostrum strongly deflected ventrally............ Uroptychus webberi View in CoL sp. nov.

– Lateral margin convex. Rostrum horizontal or slightly deflected ventrally................................................ 10

10. P2–4 propodi flexor margin with single distal spine only ...................................................... Uroptychus sp.

– P2–4 propodi flexor margin with pair of distal spines ........................................................................... 11

11. Cheliped with large curved spine on ischium. Fringe of plumose setae along extensor margin of P2–4 dactyli- .............................................................................................................. Uroptychus maori Baba, 1974 View in CoL

– Cheliped with small dorsal spine on ischium. P2–4 dactyli without plumose setae........................................ ................................................................................................... Uroptychus politus ( Henderson, 1885) View in CoL

12. P2–4 dactyli shorter than half length of propodus, with three to six spines along flexor margin...................... ....................................................................................................... Uroptychus tomentosus Baba, 1974 View in CoL

– P2–4 dactyli longer than half length of propodus, with seven spines along flexor margin............................13

13. Carapace with distinct inflation in epigastric region; carapace without process on anterior portion of branchial lateral region ............................................................................................. Uroptychus rutua View in CoL sp. nov.

– Epigastric carapace region not inflated; distinct process on anterior portion of branchial lateral region ............ ................................................................................................................. Uroptychus toka View in CoL sp. nov.

ocular peduncle is generally wider than previously illustrated, with the peduncle width being 0.23–0.28 the distance between anterolateral spines compared to 0.18 ( Ahyong & Poore 2004) and 0.2 ( Baba, 2005); the anterior margin of sternite 4 is acute in five specimens (e.g. NIWA 23035 and NMNZ Cr. 012077); The cheliped is more massive in large males (males from NIWA 23031 had a ratio of the palm length– width of 2.7–2.9 whereas the females had ratios between 3.6 and 4.5); the fingers of the cheliped are widely gaping in large male specimens and one specimen (NIWA 23031) had a second distodorsal spine on the merus in addition to the distodorsal spine on the carpus.

Distribution and ecological remarks: Uroptychus alcocki is so far known from eastern Australia, Tasman Sea, northern New Zealand, Kermadec Islands, Taiwan, and Japan; it appears to be widespread in the western Pacific (K. Baba, pers. comm.). This species is not known south of 33°S across the Tasman Sea and is not known north of 32°N indicating that it prefers tropical to subtropical latitudes ( Fig. 5 View Figure 5 ). This species is now known from a depth range of 69 to 600 m.

Some specimens were preserved clinging to small pieces of gorgonian coral (NIWA 10893, 23031, and 23032) indicating a possible association.

NMNZ

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

NZOI

New Zealand Oceanographic Institute

NIWA

National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Malacostraca

Order

Decapoda

Family

Chirostylidae

Genus

Uroptychus

Loc

Uroptychus alcocki

Schnabel, Kareen E. 2009
2009
Loc

Uroptychus alcocki

Ahyong ST & Poore GCB 2004: 15
2004
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