Bellidilia cheesmani ( Filhol, 1886 )

Ahyong, Shane T., 2008, Deepwater crabs from seamounts and chemosynthetic habitats off eastern New Zealand (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura), Zootaxa 1708 (1), pp. 1-72 : 38

Bellidilia cheesmani ( Filhol, 1886)

( Figs 17A–B )

Ebalia cheesmani Filhol, 1886: 407 , pl. 43: figs 3–4 [type locality: Otago Heads, New Zealand]. — Richardson 1949: 56, fig. 50.

Ebalia laevis . — Dell 1960: 4; 1963b: 19; 1968c: 231, 233. — Bennett 1964: 9, 20–22, figs 1–4, 107. — Dell 1968a: 22. — Takeda & Miyake 1969: 157, 161–163, fig. 2. — McLay 1988: 94, fig. 18. — Takeda in Amaoka et al. 1990: 364. [Not E. laevis ( Bell, 1855) ].

Dittosa cheesmani . — Tan 1995: 473–474, figs 2, 4E –F.

Material examined. Tumokemoke Seamount: NIWA 6757 , 2 females (cl 8.2–9.5 mm), 37°28.00–28.16’S, 176°54.91–54.87’E, 225– 210 m, TAN0413/164, 15 Nov 2004 ; NIWA 6758 , 1 male (cl 9.3 mm), 37°27.69– 27.87’S, 176°54.81–54.85’E, 294– 247 m, TAN0413/170, 16 Nov 2004 .

Tuatoru Seamount: NIWA 6755, 1 ovigerous female (cl 8.8 mm), 37°28.58–28.40’S, 177°12.94–12.73’E, 180– 179 m, TAN0413/93, 13 Nov 2004.

Rungapapa Seamount: NIWA 6756 , 1 male (cl 7.3 mm), 37°33.41–33.18’S, 176°58.94–59.05’E, 266– 197 m, TAN0413/97, 13 Nov 2004 .

Remarks. Confusion has surrounded the identity of B. cheesmani , with most New Zealand records given as Ebalia laevis ( Bell, 1855) (now in Bellidilia ), a southern Australian species. Tan (1995) clarified the taxonomy of Bell’s and Filhol’s species, providing a redescription and figures of both under a new generic name, Dittosa Tan, 1995 (type species: Philyra laevis Bell, 1855 ). Dittosa , however, is a junior synonym of Bellidilia Kinahan, 1856 (type species: Bellidilia undecimspinosa Kinahan, 1856 ) because their respective type species are presently considered congeneric.

Distribution. Stewart Island to Little Barrier Island, including the Chatham Rise; 18–373 m ( McLay 1988).

Figures

FIGURE 17. A–B, Bellidilia cheesmani (Filhol, 1886): A, male, cl 9.3 mm (NIWA 6758); B, ovigerous female, cl 8.8 mm, NIWA 6755. C–D, Ebalia tuberculosa (A. Milne-Edwards, 1873): C, male, cl 9.5 mm (NIWA 6752); D, female, cl 8.5 mm (NIWA 6752). E, Chaceon yaldwyni Manning, Dawson & Webber, 1990, male, cl 55.2 mm (NIWA 6716).