Paraxiopsis austrinus ( Sakai, 1994 )

Poore, Gary C. B. & Collins, David J., 2009, Australian Axiidae (Crustacea: Decapoda: Axiidea), Memoirs of Museum Victoria 66 (2), pp. 221-287 : 266

Paraxiopsis austrinus ( Sakai, 1994)

Figure 29

Eutrichocheles austrinus Sakai, 1994: 185 , figs. 6, 7.

Paraxiopsis austrinus .— Kensley, 2003: 373

Material examined. NT, Bullocky Point, Darwin, 12°26'S, 130°50'E, low water rocky outcrops with muddy pools, A.J. Bruce, 3 Dec 1982 (stn AJB-10), NTM Cr003173 (2 females, cl. 8.3 mm, 6.8 mm; juvenile, cl. 3.4 mm). NT, Shell Island , Darwin, 12°30'S, 130°45'E, reef pools, D. Sachs, 18 Mar 1988 (stn AJB-38), NTM Cr 006384 (female, cl. 10 mm) .

Distribution. NT, Darwin region, 12°S, 130°E, low intertidal.

Remarks. Kensley (2003) differentiated this species from nine other species of Paraxiopsis . It is recognisable by the presence of a tomentum of long and short setae over much of the body and limbs. The rostrum has three close-set spines on the lateral margins running towards three more on the lateral gastric carina. The submedian gastric carinae each has usually six spines but in the female illustrated here there are eight on one side only. Sakai based his species on two females only. One of the females in the new collection, with gonopores on coxae 3, has a minute pair of pleopods 1 while the others do not.

Figures

Figure 29. Paraxiopsis austrinus (Sakai, 1994). a, dorsal view of carapace, peduncles of antennule and antenna. b, thoracic sternites 7 and 8, abdominal sternites 1 and 2 showing pleopods 1, 2. c, pleopod 2. All figures from female, cl. 8.3 mm, NTM Cr003173.