Munida kapala, Ahyong & Poore, 2004

Ahyong, Shane T. & Poore, Gary C. B., 2004, Deep-water Galatheidae (Crustacea: Decapoda: Anomura) from southern and eastern Australia, Zootaxa 472 (1), pp. 1-76 : 38-41

Munida kapala n. sp. ( Fig. 7 )

Type material. HOLOTYPE: AM P31425, male (10.9 mm), NE of Tweed Heads , Queensland, 28º02–05’S, 153º57’E, 364 m, K78­09­03, 1 Jun 1978 . PARATYPES: AM P21125, 2 males (4.4–7.4 mm), 2 females (6.2–7.6 mm), SE of Crowdy Head , New South Wales, 38°55–57’S, 153°07–08’E, 403–549 m, among sponges, K75­06­04, 10 Sep 1975 ; AM P67286, 1 male (9.5 mm), Taupo Seamount, Tasman Sea , 33°16.85’S, 156°09.15’E, 244 m, 1.2 m sled, FR0589­08, J. Lowry et al., 2 May 1989 .

Diagnosis. Carapace with transverse row of 8 epigastric spines. Rostrum spiniform, about twice as long as supraocular spines. Margins of carapace anterior to cervical groove with 2 spines (including anterolateral); with 3 spines posterior to cervical groove. Lateral portion of fifth to seventh sternite with short carinae. Second abdominal tergite with row of 8 spines on anterior border; other abdominal tergites unarmed. Eyes with maximum corneal diameter about one­third basal distance between anterolateral spines. Basal segment of antennule with 2 terminal spines, mesial shorter; with two lateral spines. Second segment of antennal peduncle with mesial and lateral terminal spines, mesial not overreaching distal segment of peduncle. Maxilliped 3 merus with distal and larger proximal spine on flexor margin; extensor margin unarmed. Cheliped about twice carapace length; pollex with 1 or 2 proximoventral spines. Pereopods 2–4 dactylus longer than half propodus length, with movable spines along length of flexor margin.

Description. Carapace: Transverse ridges mostly uninterrupted; cervical groove distinct; with transverse row of 8 epigastric spines, those behind supraocular spines largest; with paired parahepatic, paired anterior branchial and paired postcervical spines. Frontal margins oblique; rostrum spiniform, faintly sinuous, about twice as long as supraocular spines and about half remaining carapace length. Supraocular spines subparallel. Anterolateral spine well developed, situated at anterolateral angle, not extending to sinus between rostrum and supraocular spine. Margins of carapace anterior to cervical groove with 2 spines (including anterolateral); with 3 spines posterior to cervical groove.

Sternum: Fourth sternites with 2 short striae medially; lateral portion of fifth to seventh sternites with short carinae.

Abdomen: Second tergite with row of 6–8 spines on anterior border. Third to sixth tergites without spines on anterior border. Second and third tergites with 1 uninterrupted transverse stria respectively. Fourth and fifth tergites smooth, without transverse striae. Sixth tergite with biconcave stria.

Eye: Maximum corneal diameter about one­third basal distance between anterolateral spines; peduncle with row of short distal setae (‘eyelashes’).

Antennule: Basal segment elongate, overreaching cornea; with 2 terminal spines, mesial shorter; with two lateral spines, distal markedly longer than proximal.

Antenna: Basal segment peduncle with strong mesial spine. Second segment with mesial and lateral terminal spines, mesial not overreaching distal segment of peduncle. Third and fourth segments of antennal peduncle unarmed.

Maxilliped 3: Ischium with strong distal flexor spine. Flexor margin of merus with distal and larger proximal spine; extensor margin unarmed.

Pereopod 1 (cheliped): Length about twice carapace length; squamous and sparsely setose. Dactylus dorsally unarmed except for proximal spine and subdistal spine; occlusal margin denticulate. Propodus with palm about 3 times as long as high, shorter than dactylus; dorsal, lateral and ventral margin spinose; pollex with 1 or 2 proximoventral spines and 2 small subterminal spines, occlusal margin denticulate. Dactylus and pollex without gape. Carpus with dorsal, lateral and ventral spine distally; with row of lateral, dorsal and mesial spines and irregularly distributed acute tubercles. Merus with dorsal, lateral, mesial and ventral spine distally; with mesial, lateral and 2 dorsal rows of spines.

Pereopod 2: Merus extensor margin with 8–10 spines; flexor margin with 4–6 spines. Carpus with 4 extensor and 1 flexor spine. Propodus flexor margin with 8 spines. Dactylus about 0.6 propodus length; with 7–9 movable spines along flexor margin.

Pereopod 3: Merus extensor margin with 6 spines; flexor margin with 2 spines. Carpus with 3 extensor and 1 flexor spine. Propodus flexor margin with 8 spines. Dactylus about 0.6 propodus length; with 8 movable spines along flexor margin.

Pereopod 4: Merus and carpus extensor and flexor margins each with distal spine spine. Propodus flexor margin with 5 spines. Dactylus about 0.7 propodus length; with 6– 8 movable spines along flexor margin.

Etymology. Named for the FRV Kapala, formerly New South Wales Fisheries, from which most specimens in the present series were collected; noun in apposition.

Remarks. Munida kapala n. sp. most closely resembles Munida rufiantennulata Baba, 1969 from the western Pacific, and two French Polynesian species, Munida pulchra Macpherson & de Saint Laurent, 1991 and Munida ocellata Macpherson & de Saint Laurent, 1991 . Munida kapala differs from each of these species in the following features: the merus of the fourth pereopod lacks a row of dorsal spines; and the outer distal spine of the second antennal segment does not distinctly overreach the third peduncular segment. The new species further differs from M. rufiantennulata in bearing short carinae on the lateral portions of the fifth to seventh instead of sixth and seventh thoracic sternites. Munida kapala also differs from M. ocellata and M pulchra in bearing three instead of four spines behind the cervical groove and the dactyli of the pereopods are longer than instead of shorter than half of the propodus length. As remarked by Macpherson & de Saint Laurent (1991), M. pulchra differs morphologically from M. ocellata only in having larger eyes (width one­third instead of one­quarter distance between anterolateral spines). The eyes of M. kapala are similar to that of M. pulchra .

Distribution. Known from between northeast of Tweed Heads, and the vicinity of Newcastle, New South Wales, at depths of 244– 549 m.

Figures

FIGURE 7. Munida kapala n. sp., holotype male (10.9 mm), AM P31425. A, dorsum. B, left basal antennular segment, ventral. C, left antennal peduncle, ventral. D, right third maxilliped, lateral. E, right cheliped. F–H, right pereopods 2–4, dorsal. I, sternum. Scale A, E–H = 2 mm, B–D, I = 1 mm.