Periclimenes granulimanus Bruce, 1978

Ďuriš, Zdeněk, 2010, Periclimenes laevimanus sp. nov. from Vietnam, with a review of the Periclimenes granulimanus species group (Crustacea: Decapoda: Palaemonidae: Pontoniinae) *, Zootaxa 2372 (1), pp. 106-125 : 118

Periclimenes granulimanus Bruce, 1978

Periclimenes granulimanus Bruce, 1978: 237 , Figs. 16–19. — Bruce 1983: 208. — Chace & Bruce 1993: 57.

Type material. Ov. female holotype cl 2.0 mm, MNHNP 2580 (not examined) .

Material examined. 4 females, St. MAL.16, Indonesia, Moluccas, Ambon, Ambon bay, N coast near Tawiri , 03°42'S 128°06'E; 16.XI.1996; 20 m depth; diving; from Virgularia sp. (Pennatularia) ; leg. C.H.J.M. Fransen, RMNH D 47551 (examined by C.H.J.M. Fransen) .

Remarks. The species, first reported in association with antipatharians from Madagascar, was originally described and illustrated by Bruce (1978). The specific granulation of the major chelipeds is discussed for other Periclimenes -like pontoniine shrimps in the remarks to the original description and, later, by the same author ( Bruce 1990) in his comments for Periclimenes tonga . In the latter report, the author pointed out (p. 31) the fact that in P. granulimanus , “the distal propod and dactyl of the ambulatory [leg] appear to form a prehensile mechanism”. The prehensile structures are almost identical to those of P. laevimanus sp. nov., and are more thoroughly discussed in Remarks for P. laevimanus and P. brucei (above), and in the Discussion (below).

P. granulimanus is closely similar to P. laevimanus sp. nov. Together with the major cheliped granulation noted above, this species also differs by stouter proportions of the cheliped: the palm is 5 times longer than deep and 3.5 times longer than the fingers, while the porportions are 6.6–8.0 times and 4.0–4.5 times, respectively, in adults of the new species, but in juveniles these relations may be approx. 3.5 and 1.8 times, respectively. The major second pereiopod carpus is subequal to the fingers in the female holotype of P. granulimanus , but approximately 2 times longer in adults of P. laevimanus sp. nov. (subequal in juveniles). The minor chela has 1 and 2 shallow teeth on the cutting edges of the fixed finger and the dactylus, respectively; these are lacking in the new species. No noticeable thoracic sternal structures were encountered in P. laevimanus sp. nov., while a small median tubercle was reported on the fourth and eighth sternites, and a shallow median notch on the fifth to seventh sternites in P. granulimanus ( Bruce 1978) . The accessory pigment spot and the arthrobranch on the third maxilliped were reported as lacking in the holotype of P. granulimanus , with the latter being possibly lost during dissecting of the holotype ( Bruce 1978). Both these structures are present in other species of the P. granulimanus species group discussed in this work. The examination of the RMNH specimens of P. granulimanus , by C.H.J.M. Fransen (pers. comm.), prove that the accessory pigment spot was present as a very small dot, dorsally in the posterior margin of the cornea, but almost indistinguishable from the rest of the cornea. A small 2-lamellate arthrobranch is also present on the third maxilliped.

Color. Not reported.

Host. Unidentified antipatharian ( Bruce 1978); a bushy hydroid, Lytocarpus philippinus (Kirchenpauer) , 24 m ( Bruce 1981); Virgularia sp. (Pennatularia) – new host, 20 m ( Moluccas).

Distribution. Tany Kely, northwest Madagascar (type locality); Heron Island, Great Barrier Reef, Australia; Ambon, Indonesia - new record.