Paramunida curvata Macpherson, 2004

Cabezas, P. E., 2010, Taxonomic revision of the genus Paramunida Baba, 1988 (Crustacea: Decapoda: Galatheidae): a morphological and molecular approach, Zootaxa 2712, pp. 1-60 : 21

Paramunida curvata Macpherson, 2004

( Figs. 12I, 16F)

Paramunida curvata Macpherson, 2004: 285 , fig. 14 ( Fiji, 229–417 m). — Baba 2005: 302 (key, synonymies). — Baba et al. 2008: 172 (list of occurrences).

Material examined. Vanuatu. BOA 0. Stn CP 2326, 15º39.83’S, 167º01.9’E, 18 November 2004, 260– 313 m: 7 M 8.7–9.8 mm, 8 ov. F 8.1–9.9 mm, 2 F 5.3–9.1 mm. SANTO. Stn AT 34, 15°35.9'S, 167°17.1'E, 23 September 2006, 234– 270 m: 1 ov. F 9.6 mm. — Stn AT 47, 15°35.0'S, 167°18.3'E, 30 September 2006, 250– 309 m: 4 M 8.3–10.0 mm, 1 ov. F 8.6 mm. — Stn AT 121, 15°38.7'S, 167°01.2'E, 19 October 2006, 275– 290 m: 3 M 8.0– 9.8 mm, 4 ov. F 7.9–8.8 mm, 2 F 5.3–9.1 mm .

Fiji. MUSORSTOM 10. Stn 1389, 18º18.58’S, 178º04.73’E, 19 August 1998, 241– 417 m: 1 M 10.3 mm (holotype, MNHN-Ga4568), 3 ov. F 8.1–8.3 mm, 2 F 6.3–7.5 mm. — Stn 1390, 18º18.59’S, 178º05.10’E, 19 August 1998, 234– 361 m: 4 M 5.1–10.0 mm, 2 ov. F 9.9–10.0 mm, 3 F 8.0– 8.8 mm .

Diagnosis. Rostrum smaller than or at most equal to supraocular spines, with small thin dorsal carina; margin between rostral and supraocular spines clearly convex. Spinules on gastric and hepatic regions usually not forming groups, lacking scaly striae and with few short uniramous setae. Mesogastric region without distinct spines. Median cardiac region with small spines. Few and short setae along anterior branch of cervical groove. Sternal plastron with few short striae on sternite 4, smooth on sternites 5–7. Lateral margin of antennular segment 1 with distal slender portion about half as long as proximal inflated portion. Antennal peduncle with anterior prolongation of segment 1 spiniform; segment 2 twice longer than broad, with distomesial spine spiniform and curved, overreaching end of antennal peduncle, distolateral spine not reaching midlength of segment 3; segment 3 elongate, 4 times longer than broad. Base of P1 carpus without bundle of setae. P2 propodus about 15 times as long as wide, and about 1.5 times dactylus length.

Remarks. Paramunida curvata belongs to the group of species with the rostral spine smaller than the supraocular spines. However, P. curvata can be differentiated from the other species of the group ( P. hawaiiensis , P. microrhina , P. setigera , and P. tenera ) by having the margin between rostral and supraocular spines clearly convex, whereas this margin is straight or slightly concave in the other species.

Genetically the closest relative is P. scabra from Hong Kong, East and South China Sea (Dongsha), Indonesia, Philippines, Taiwan, Japan, and Australia (off Central Queensland). The differences were 6.66 % (16S rRNA) and 9.22 % (ND1).

Distribution. Fiji and Vanuatu, between 229 and 417 m.