Stimdromia lateralis ( Gray, 1831 )

Mclay, Colin L. & Hosie, Andrew M., 2022, The sponge crabs of Western Australia and the Northwest Shelf with descriptions of new genera and species (Crustacea: Brachyura: Dromiidae), Zootaxa 5129 (3), pp. 301-355 : 349-350

Stimdromia lateralis ( Gray, 1831)

( Fig. 32A–D )

Dromia lateralis Gray, 1831: 40 .

Cryptodromia lateralis . — Stimpson, 1858: 226; 1907: 174, pl. 20 fig 3.— Miers, 1884: 259.— Henderson, 1888: 5.

Petalomera lateralis . — Borradaile, 1903: 300.— Montgomery, 1922: 193, text figs 1–3.— Rathbun, 1923a: 153. — Hale, 1927: 111, figs. 108–109; 1941: 284.— Richardson, 1949: 58–69.— Griffin, 1972.

Paradromia lateralis . — Hale, 1925: 410, pl. 40 figs 1–3.

Stimdromia lateralis . — McLay, 1993: 169.— Davie, 2002: 166.— Poore, 2004: 307, fig. 87c.— Farrelly & Ahyong, 2019: 72, fig. 139.

Austrodromidia octodentata . — Farrelly & Ahyong, 2019: fig. 138.

NOT Petalomera lateralis . — Dai & Yang, 1991: 28, fig. 8, pl. 2 fig. 6.

Material examined. WAM C13507, Port Willunga , intertidal limestone reef platform under rocks, 22-01-1965: male 17.0 × 15.0 mm (sponge cap) .

Description. Carapace wider than long, convex, smooth, regions not defined, covered by short dense tomentum. Rostrum tridentate lateral teeth broadly triangular, rounded, median tooth shorter, sharper, at lower level, slightly deflexed; supraorbital margin continues interrupted by weak supraorbital tooth and similar postorbital tooth, suborbital tooth more prominent. Anterolateral margin armed with 2 similar blunt teeth and strong subhepatic tooth visible dorsally between postorbital corner and first anterolateral tooth; margin between 2 anterolateral teeth convex; well defined posterolateral tooth behind branchial notch.

Chelipeds well developed, tubercular, inner surface of carpus and propodus densely setose, dorsal surface tends to be flattened with poorly defined ridge running along inner border; fingers white and gaping. Outer face of cheliped propodus sometimes with fine tubercles tending to be arranged in longitudinal rows. P2 and P3 also with strong distal tubercles on dorsal margins. P4 and P 5 smaller, dactyli opposed by single propodal spine with another similar spine on outer propodal margin. Posterior margin of telson broadly rounded, subtruncate. Female thoracic sternal grooves ending well apart on small tubercles between P2 coxae.

Remarks. The true identity of Cryptodromia lateralis was uncertain until Stimpson (1907: pl. 20 fig. 3) published a figure of this species, based on material collected from Port Jackson, i.e., Sydney Harbour.

The differences between S. lateralis and S. lamellata include: carapace tomentose and smooth (versus bare and granular in S. lamellata ); rostral teeth unequal (versus teeth approximately same size); anterolateral carapace margin armed with two teeth (versus three irregular teeth); cheliped and P1 and P2 tubercular on distal ends of carpi and propodi (versus crest-like). Brood young are carried by female ( Montgomery 1922).

Distribution. Endemic to Australia, found around most of the coastline. Old records of this species from New Zealand refer to Metadromia wilsoni ( Fulton & Grant, 1902) . Miers’ (1884) records of S. lateralis based on specimens from Bohol, Philippines and Madjicasima, Japan, (HMS Samarang) in the NHM need verification. Depth range: 0–221 m ( Farrelly & Ahyong 2019).

Figures

FIGURE 32. Stimdromia lateralis (Gray 1831), male, 17.0 × 15.0 mm (WAM 65-83): A, dorsal view; B, ventral view (with sponge cap); C, frontal view; D, ventral view oral and sternal areas.