Neoleptastacus huysi (Karanovic, 2000)

Arenopontia (Neoleptastacus) huysi Karanovic, 2000

Neoleptastacus huysi (Karanovic, 2000) Sak et al. (2008: 412)

Original description. Karanovic (2000): 34–36; Figs 1–13 (♀ only).

Type locality. Montenegro, Ulcinj Municipality, Island of Ada Bojana, near Ulcinj; 41°51’30” N, 19°21’10” E; sandy beach.

Body length. 320 μm (♀).

Remarks. The species has not been recorded again since its original description which was based on a single ovigerous female. The combined presence of an inner seta on P2 enp-2 and two distal elements on P3 enp-2 places N. huysi in the acanthus -subgroup, together with N. acanthus and N. chaufriassei . Karanovic (2000) considered the species most closely related to N. acanthus but did not provide evidence for this, probably because the latter was conceived at the time as a species that displayed significant variability. Neoleptastacus huysi differs from the other two members of the acanthus -subgroup by the presence of three elements on P1 exp-3 (instead of four), a condition that is shared with the unrelated trisetosus -group (Table 2). Karanovic (2000) described the spatulate caudal ramus seta VII as “aesthetasc-like” and erroneously used it as a character to differentiate N. huysi from N. acanthus . Some armature elements on the antennule were overlooked on most segments (particularly 1, 2, 3 and 6). The author also stated “Hind margins of all body somites smooth. First, second and third free thoracic somites with a chitinous suture dorsolaterally, which bears a row of very fine spinules”. The spinular rows referred to by Karanovic in reality represent the crenulated hyaline frills on these somites while the strongly developed abdominal frills, consisting of rectangular digitate lappets, were obviously overlooked. The linear egg-sac of the holotype female contained three eggs. The species is potentially conspecific with N. acanthus (see above).