Neocallichirus manningi Kazmi & Kazmi, 1992

Sepahvand, Vahid, Komai, Tomoyuki, Momtazi, Farzaneh & Shahabi, Saeed, 2018, A new species of the ghost shrimp genus Neocallichirus Sakai, 1988 from Iran, and new record of N. manningi Kazmi & Kazmi, 1992 (Decapoda: Axiidea: Callianassidae), Zootaxa 4527 (2), pp. 239-254 : 247-251

Neocallichirus manningi Kazmi & Kazmi, 1992

( Figs. 5–7 )

Neocallichirus manningi Kazmi & Kazmi, 1992: 296 , fig. 1 (type locality: Karachi, Pakistan).— Tudge et al. 2000: 144 (no new locality; phylogenetic analysis).— Sakai 2005: 180 (no new locality); 2011: 460 (no new locality). Neocallichirus indicus . — Sakai 1999: 99.— Sakai & Apel 2002: 277 (part).

Material examined. Two females (tl 34.3, 36.3 mm, cl 8.5, 9.3 mm), INIOC-2-10S, Gulf of Oman, Tis, 25°21′25″N, 60°83′17″E, Apr 2015, sandy-muddy substrate with boulder, coll. V. Sepahvand.

Description. Carapace subequal in length to pleomeres 1–3 combined. Frontal margin of carapace with three anterior prominences, lateral prominences obtusely angular, uncalcified; median prominence reaching beyond laterals, forming short, broadly rounded rostrum ( Figs.5A, 5C ), with distinct linea thalassinica, and with defined dorsal oval marked posteriorly by deep transverse cardiac furrow, latter extending anteroventrally to either side above linea thalassinica as shallow groove demarcating posterior half of dorsal oval, anterolateral projection subtriangular, bluntly pointed; anterolateral sinus deep, U-shaped.

Length ratio of pleomeres 1–6 measured along midline: 1.0: 1.1: 1.0: 1.0: 1.0: 1.5 ( Fig. 5A, 5C ). Pleomere 1 ( Fig. 5A ) narrowing anteriorly in dorsal view; pleuron with defined ventral margin. Pleomere 2 ( Fig. 5A ) wider than long; pleuron with posterolateral margin slightly expanded. Pleura 3–5 each with lateral tuft of long setae; posterolateral margins slightly expanded. Pleomere 6 ( Fig. 5 A–B, D) approximately as long as wide, subquadrate, with parallel lateral margins and row of setae; with conspicuous notch on lateral margins.

Telson ( Fig. 5D ) approximately as long as wide, subtrapezoidal, narrowing posteriorly; lateral margins each with very low convexity proximally, and thereafter gently convex or nearly straight; posterior margin shallowly concave medially, with minute median spine; dorsal surface slightly convex, smooth.

Eyestalks ( Fig. 5C ) moderately long, subtriangular, contiguous, bearing two minute tubercles distally, tip not reaching to the distal end of basal antennal article; cornea located subterminally and laterally, darkly pigmented.

Antennular peduncle ( Fig. 5C ) thicker, but shorter than antennal peduncle; article 2 shorter than article 1; article 3 twice as long as article 2. Flagella subequal in length to entire peduncle; lower ramus slightly longer than upper ramus, with much denser and longer setation.

Antennal peduncle ( Fig. 5C ) with terminal article slightly longer than penultimate article; short basal article forming slightly produced; second article longer than first, third article shortest; fourth article elongate, longer than second and third article combined; fifth article narrower, as long as fourth article.

Mouthparts typical for genus according to external observation, not illustrated. Maxilliped 3 ( Fig. 7A ) without exopod; ischium-merus not particularly broadened, subrectangular in general shape; ischium 1.5 times as long as broad, mesial surface with well-developed crista dentata consisting of row of small teeth; merus subtriangular, narrowing distally, 1.2 times as broad as long; carpus triangular, widened distally, narrowing in proximal and distal part, as long as broad; propodus large, subrectangular, broader than long; dactylus narrow, tapering distally, arcuate.

Pereopods 1 (chelipeds) subequal in length but dissimilar. Larger cheliped ( Fig. 6A, B ) with ischium slender (about 3.0 times as long as broad), upper margin slightly sinuous, lower margin with row of small spines. Merus about 3 times as long as wide; upper margin gently convex; outer face divided into 2 facets by longitudinal carina; lower margin devoid of prominent hook-like process, bicarinate, inner carina with row of teeth. Carpus long, about 1.4 times as long as high, subrectangular in outer view; upper and lower margins sharply keeled, subparallel or very slightly diverging distally. Chela shorter than carpus; fingers with narrow hiatus when closed. Fixed finger almost straight, armed with sharp triangular teeth becoming smaller distally on occlusal margin; dactylus longer than palm, occlusal margin with spiniform teeth in middle part.

Minor cheliped ( Fig. 6 C–E) more slender than large cheliped. Ischium about 4.0 times as long as wide; upper margin gently sinuous, unarmed; lower margin almost straight, armed with small teeth. Merus about 2 times as long as broad; upper margin slightly convex; lower margin gently concave, with row of small spines. Carpus long, about 2 times longer than high, subrectangular; upper and lower margins sharply keeled and subparallel. Chela slightly longer than carpus; Fingers with narrow hiatus when closed. Fixed finger almost straight, armed with small, sharp triangular teeth becoming smaller distally. Dactylus subequal in length to palm, armed with conspicuous teeth proximal to midlength, terminating in hook-like tip.

Pereopods 2–5 typical for genus, as figured ( Fig. 7 B–E).

Female pleopod 1 simple ( Fig. 7F ), consisting of two articles; terminal article longer than proximal article, with shoulder at midlength. Female pleopod 2 biramous ( Fig.7G ), endopod with appendix interna.

Uropodal protopod ( Fig. 5D ) bearing bilobed posterodorsal margin. Endopod shorter than telson, rhomboidal, about as long as wide, with distinctly convex outer margin, lateral margin unarmed; mesial margin fringed with setae. Exopod longer than endopod, rounded oblong, 1.1 times as broad as long, bearing well-developed, marginally setose anterodorsal plate.

Colour in life. Body entirely beige; chelae pale pink; in breeding season (spring) orange or reddish ovary visible through translucent cuticle in females.

Distribution and habitat. Heretofore known only from the type locality, Karachi, Pakistan. Our specimens represent the first record of the species outside the type locality. The two specimens examined were found to burrow under large rocks on sand-mud substrates in intertidal zone.

Remarks. Neocallichirus manningi was originally described on the basis of two female specimens from Karachi, Pakistan ( Kazmi & Kazmi 1992). Since the original description, there have been no additional records of this species. The original authors commented that N. manningi is morphologically similar to N. indicus (= N. jousseaumei ) and N. pachydactyla ( A. Milne-Edwards, 1870) , and in fact, Sakai (1999) and Sakai & Apel (2002) considered N. manningi to be synonymous with N. indicus . Sakai (2011) reinstated N. manningi as a valid species, but did not provide much justification.

Our specimens from the Gulf of Oman agree well with the original description of N. manningi in the following diagnostic particulars:(1) the terminal process of the eye-stalk has minutely denticulate distal margin ( Fig. 5C ); (2) the frontal margin of the carapace bears obtuse lateral processes lateral to the obtusely triangular rostrum ( Fig. 5C ); (3) the posterior margin of the telson is slightly concave, bearing a minute median spine ( Fig. 5D ); (4) the chelipeds are subequal in the length but dissimilar, with respective carpus being distinctly longer than high and subequal or only slightly shorter than chela ( Fig. 6A, C ). Nevertheless, our specimens are different from the type description of N. manningi in having spinose lower margins of ischia of both chelipeds and spinose lower margin of the merus of the larger cheliped. The chela of the smaller cheliped has as a short row of small spines on the lower margin near the base of the fixed finger in our specimens, but such spines are not mentioned or illustrated in the original description of N. manningi . At present, we regard these differences could be intraspecific, but examination of more material will be necessary to determine if the present specimens really represent N. manningi .

Figures

FIGURE 5. Neocallichirus manningi Kazumi & Kazumi, 1992, female (cl 8.5 mm), IONIOC-2-10S. A, body, including cephalic appendages and telson, dorsal view; B, same, lateral view; C, carapace and cephalic appendages, dorsal view; D, sixth abdominal somite, telson and uropods, dorsal view. Scale bars: 2 mm.

FIGURE 6. Neocallichirus manningi Kazmi & Kazmi, 1992, female (cl 8.5 mm), IONIOC-2-10. A, larger cheliped, inner view; B, ischium-merus of larger cheliped, inner view; C, smaller cheliped inner view; D, ischium-merus of smaller cheliped, inner view; E, propodus of smaller cheliped, inner view. Scale bars: 2 mm.

FIGURE 7. Neocallichirus manningi Kazmi & Kazmi, 1992, female (cl 8.5mm), IONIOC-2-10. A, maxilliped 3, inner view; B, pereopod 2, outer view; C, pereopod 3, outer view; D, pereopod 4, outer view; E, pereopod 5, outer view; F, pleopod 1, posterior view; G, pleopod 2, posterior view. Setation omitted. Scale bars: 2 mm.