Automate dolichognatha de Man, 1888

Wicksten, Mary K., 2012, Decapod Crustacea of the Californian and Oregonian Zoogeographic Provinces 3371, Zootaxa 3371, pp. 1-307 : 62-63

Automate dolichognatha de Man, 1888

( Fig. 14I–M)

Automate dolichognatha de Man, 1888: 529 , pl. 22, fig. 5. — Banner & Banner 1973: 299, fig. 1 (extensive synonymy). — Wicksten 1981:1104.

Automate haightae Boone, 1931: 184 , fig. 22.

Diagnosis. Central part of anterodorsal margin of carapace recessed above eyestalks, leaving them exposed to near base. Rostrum small, rounded, at times triangular, not reaching to level of frontal margin of carapace. Eyestalk exposed, not covered by carapace, corneal area poorly developed. Stylocerite reaching nearly to end of first article of antennular peduncle. Scaphocerite moderately broad, lateral tooth slightly exceeding blade, reaching to or past middle of second segment of antennular peduncle. Chelae of pereopods 1 unequal. Large chela compressed, 2.5 times as long as broad, palm, fingers subequal; with or without teeth on fingers or gape. Smaller pereopod 1 about half as long as larger first pereopod, fingers without gape or teeth. Carpus of pereopod 2 with 5 articles, article 2 slightly longer than article 1, longest of all 5 articles. Pereopod 3 with broad merus, propodus with 5 spinules, dactyl simple. Pereopods 4, 5 similar to 3, but smaller. Telson with 2 pairs dorsolateral spines, 2 pairs terminal spines; inner spines of terminal pair much longer than outer spines. Total length 16 mm.

Color in life. Pale translucent yellow to nearly translucent, fingers of chelae dull white to overall creamy yellow.

Habitat and depth. Usually along shore, under rocks, to 20 m.

Range. Circumtropical except for western Africa. In eastern Pacific, from off Santa Catalina I. to Galapagos Is. Type locality Noordwachter I. (= Pulau Tuguan, Indonesia) .

Remarks. Questions remain as to whether this is a single variable species or a complex of similar separate species. Banner & Banner (1973) compared specimens from many geographic regions and of different sizes and sexes, and found no consistency in the variation of the teeth of the chelae or the gape with age, size or habitat. Molecular studies probably would be the best way to resolve taxonomic questions regarding this species. It is easily recognized in California because it is the only alpheid in which the eyestalks are exposed, not covered by the carapace.