Gonodactylellus kandi, Ahyong & Erdmann, 2007

Ahyong, Shane T. & Erdmann, Mark V., 2007, Two New Species Of Gonodactylellus From The Western Pacific (Gonodactylidae: Stomatopoda), Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 55 (1), pp. 89-95 : 89-90

Gonodactylellus kandi new species

( Fig. 1)

Material examined. – Holotype: MZB CRU1502 , male (TL 12 mm), Tanjung Kandi, N Sulawesi, 1 ° 19.0'N 121 ° 27.5'E, 1.5 m, cavities in coral bench, coll. M. Erdmann, 29 Apr.2000.

Paratypes: MZB CRU1503 , 1 female (TL 10 mm), type locality ; NIWA 25533 , 3 males (TL 9–10 mm), 4 females (TL 8–11 mm), type locality ; AMP 74256, 2 males (TL 9–11 mm), type locality ; ZRC 2006.0139 , 1 male (TL 9 mm), 1 female (TL 10 mm), type locality ; USNM 306022 , 1 male (TL 12 mm), NE Banta, Komodo , 8 ° 25'00"S 119 ° 19'40"E, 1.5 m, in cavity on surface of partially buried dead coral boulder, surf zone on windward side of island, coll. M. Erdmann.

Non-type material: USNM 307135 , 1 male (TL 13 mm), 1 female (TL 13 mm), Philippines, 9 ° 04.5’S 123 ° 16.4'E, 0–2.4 m, LK 79- 20, coll. L. Kornicker, 18 May.1979 ; USNM 306015 , 1 female (TL 10 mm), backside of Yazi Reef , Madang, Papua New Guinea, 1 m, rubble among breakers, coll. J. Thomas & J. Clark, 15 Jan.1989 .

Diagnosis. – Mandibular palp 2-segmented. Telson with spiniform submedian denticles; intermediate teeth distinct, apices extending posteriorly well beyond apices of intermediate denticles. AS 6 with unarmed submedian, intermediate and lateral bosses. Telson mid-dorsal carinae posteriorly armed, otherwise smooth; submedian and intermediate teeth with dorsal spinules. Uropodal exopod proximal segment with setose inner margin; distal margin without ventral spine. Uropodal endopod and distal segment of exopod with entire margin setose.

Description. – Eyes elongate; cornea subconical. Ocular scales low, separate, bases transverse. A1 peduncle length 0.66–0.76CL. A2 scale length 0.36–0.43CL.

Rostral plate longer than broad; basal portion with transverse or slightly concave anterior margins; anterolateral angles blunt; lateral margins divergent anteriorly; median spine longer than base, laterally flattened, with obtusely angular ventral keel.

Raptorial claw dactylus with proximal notch; propodus with proximal movable spine, opposable margin sparsely pectinate proximally.

Mandibular palp 2-segmented.

TS6–7 lateral processes subequal to or slightly broader than that of TS6; lower margins truncate. TS8 anterolateral margin rounded; sternal keel obsolete.

PLP1 endopod with lateral lobe on posterior endite.

AS 1–5 posterolateral angles unarmed. AWCLI 781–833. AS 6 with unarmed submedian and intermediate bosses; lateral boss posterolateral angle a short blunt, triangular projection.

Telson broader than long; with 9–11 spiniform submedian denticles; intermediate teeth distinct, apices extending posteriorly well beyond apices of intermediate denticles; lateral teeth indicated by a shallow, narrow notch, apex blunt, not projecting well off margin of telson. Telson median carina tumid in both sexes, obscuring accessory median carinae, together with a group of up to 5 small posterior spines, apices often broken leaving pit; anterior submedian carina usually with 1 spine; submedian tooth armed dorsally with 2–4 spines; intermediate tooth with 0–3 dorsal spines; knob absent. Telson ventral surface lacking carina on submedian or intermediate teeth.

Uropodal protopod terminal spines with length subequal; upper proximal surface with blunt, ill-defined dorsal carina, without obtuse swelling posteriorly. Uropodal exopod proximal segment outer margin with 8–10 (usually 9) movable spines, distalmost not exceeding apex of distal segment; inner margin setose; distal margin without ventral spine, at most with small blunt tubercle; exopod distal segment with entire margin setose. Uropodal endopod narrow, length 2.43–3.20 breadth; entire inner margin and distal half of outer margin setose.

Colour in life. – Overall mottled light green and white. Small brown spots scattered across carapace and outer surface of merus, and across dorsal surface of TS5 and TS8, and AS 1– 5. Meral spot flesh-toned.

Measurements. – Male (n = 9) TL 9–13 mm, female (n = 8) TL 9–13 mm. Other measurements of holotype: CL 2.20 mm, A1 peduncle length 1.50 mm, A2 scale length 0.92 mm, AS 5 width 1.80 mm.

Etymology. – Named kandi , based on the type locality Tanjung Kandi; used as a noun in apposition.

Remarks. – At a maximum of 13 mm TL, Gonodactylellus kandi new species, is the smallest known species of the genus. It is unusual in Gonodactylellus in the absence of a fixed distoventral spine on the proximal segment of the uropodal exopod, a condition otherwise shared only with G. choprai ( Manning, 1967) from the western Indian Ocean. Gonodactylellus choprai , however, is readily distinguished from G. kandi by the complete absence of spines or spinules on the primary telson teeth or posterior surfaces of the median carina. Conversely, the posterior spinules on the median carina of the telson and dorsal spines on the submedian and intermediate telson teeth align G. kandi with members of the ‘spiny-telson’ group. In particular, G. kandi is most similar to G. barberi new species, and G. molyneux Ahyong, 2001 , based on telson shape and spination. Apart from its much smaller maximum size (13 mm versus 25+ mm), however, G. kandi is readily distinguished from G. barberi and G. molyneux by the unarmed posterolateral angle of AS 6, unarmed distoventral margin of the proximal segment of the uropodal exopod, and setose instead of smooth inner margins of the uropodal exopod and endopod.

Habitat. – Found in high-energy, wave-washed subtidal environments, generally between 1 and 2 m depth (rarely to 5 m) living in miniscule cavities in the coralline algal crust that often forms over dead coral platform or large volcanic boulders. May reach densities of up to 20 individuals per m 2. Often sympatric with Hoplosquilla said Erdmann & Manning, 1998.

Distribution. – Known from Indonesia, the Philippines and Madang, Papua New Guinea.