Raylilia coniculifera, Galil, 2001

Galil, Bella S., 2001, A new genus and species of leucosiid crab (Crustacea, Decapoda, Brachyura) from the Indo-Pacific Ocean, Zoosystema 23 (1), pp. 65-75 : 67-68

Raylilia coniculifera n. gen. n. sp.

( Figs 1 ; 2 )

TYPE MATERIAL. — Holotype, New Caledonia, Lagoon, stn B 6, 22°18.15’S, 166°29.5’E, 15 m, 11.II.1985, 1 9.8 mm ( MNHN B19169). Paratypes, East Lagoon, stn 664, 21°43.9’S, 166°29.4’E, 28-30 m, 8.VIII.1986, 1 7.9 mm ( MNHN B18206). — Stn 669, 21°40.5’S, 166°26.2’E, 30-40 m, 8.VIII.1986, 1 8.4 mm ( MNHN B18385). — Stn 723, 21°21.6’S, 165°56.7’E, 45 m, 12.VIII.1986, 1 9.2 mm ( MNHN B18383). — Stn 728, 21°20.6’S, 165°52.4’E, 43-47 m, 12.VIII.1986, 1 ovi 12.6 mm ( MNHN B18201). — Stn 876, 20°35’S, 164°50.7’E, 30-70 m, 13.I.1987, 1 7.2 mm ( MNHN). — Stn 976, 20°35.0’S, 164°50.7’E, 30-70 m, 13.I.1987, 1 8.0 mm ( MNHN).

Banc de Touho. 20°44.20’S, 165°14’E, 51-59 m, 15.IX.1993, 1 8.9 mm, 1 ovi 12.2 mm ( MNHN).

Sunda str. Java Sea, Indonesia, 6°38’S, 105°21’E, 35 m, 30.VII.1922, 1 6.1 mm (ZMK).

Kei I. Banda Sea, 5°36’S, 132°55’E, 85 m, 9.V.1922, 1 10.2 mm (ZMK).

ETYMOLOGY. — From Latin, coniculus, small cone, for the cones crowding the dorsal surface of the carapace.

DISTRIBUTION. — New Caledonia, Indonesia, 15- 85 m.

DESCRIPTION

Dorsal surface of carapace paved with flat-topped granules. Frontal lobes tumid, anterior margin shallow arch. Margin of carapace bearing 11 subequal, granulate denticles: three close-set denticles on midlateral, posterior margin; single denticle on subhepatic margin, subhepatic denticle largest. Dorsal surface of carapace bearing 16 conical, prominently granulate tubercles. Hepatic tubercle somewhat dorsoventrally flattened, pointing distad. Mesobranchial tubercle as long as intestinal tubercle, obliquely directed. Anterior intestinal tubercle smaller than posterior tubercle.

Anterior margin of efferent branchial channel unisutured, interior lobe medially notched. Third maxilliped bearing flat-topped granules.

Chelipeds merus in adult male longer than carapace, thickly set with rounded granules; carpus, propodus minutely granulate. Pereiopods minutely granulate.

Sternites closely set with rounded granules. Plastron with rounded, knob-like projections laterally. Abdominal segments granulate.

sal view.

Male first pleopod with basal stalk stout, internal flange rounded, disto-external appendix robust; anterior margin sinuous, proximal angle minutely denticulate.

Color

Dorsal surface of carapace pale orange, intestinal tubercle white; chelipeds pale orange, merus with two red bands.

REMARKS

R. coniculifera n. gen. n. sp. is distinguished from the closely allied R. gracilipes in having carapace set with flat-topped granules, and distal margin of first male pleopod sinuous, proximally denticulate.

Figures

FIG. 1. — Raylilia coniculifera n. gen. n. sp., 1 8.9 mm, Banc de Touho, 20°44.20’S, 165°14’E (MNHN), dor-

FIG. 2. — Raylilia coniculifera n. gen. n. sp., 1 9.8 mm, New Caledonia,Lagoon, 22°18.15’S, 166°29.5’E (MNHN B19169), holotype, first male pleopod. Scale bar: 1 mm.