Munida cerisa, Ahyong, Shane T., 2007

Ahyong, Shane T., 2007, Decapod Crustacea collected by the NORFANZ Expedition: Galatheidae and Polychelidae, Zootaxa 1593, pp. 1-54 : 19-22

Munida cerisa sp. nov.

( Fig. 10 B, 11)

Type material. Holotype: AM, male (16.2 mm), W of Norfolk Island, 28°51.21’S, 167°42.53’E, 690–812 m, TAN0308/29 #14, 15 May 2003.

Diagnosis. Carapace margins with 5 spines posterior to cervical groove; transverse ridges well-spaced, with few, scattered, secondary striae; anterior branchial and postcervical spine absent.

Rostrum spiniform. Sternite 4 anterior margin broadly and evenly convex. Abdominal tergite 2 with row of spines along anterior ridge; tergites 3 and 4 unarmed. Antennular basal segment terminal spines subequal. Antennal basal segment with strong mesial spine, apex not reaching beyond segment 2; segment 2 with distomesial spine reaching to about midlength of segment 4. Maxilliped 3 merus extensor margin unarmed. Cheliped about 1.5 times carapace length; pollex ventral margin unarmed; merus distal spines with longest not reaching midlength of carpus. Pereopods 2 and 3 carpus extensor margin with 2 spines; dactylus with distalmost movable flexor spine at base of unguis.

Description. Carapace: Transverse ridges well-spaced, generally entire, with few, scattered, secondary striae; gastric and cardiac regions with several short striae; hepatic region with few granules or short striae; cervical groove distinct; with pair of distinct epigastric spines behind supraocular spines, flanked mesially and laterally small spine; with 1 parahepatic spine; anterior branchial and postcervical spine absent. Frontal margins almost transverse; rostrum spiniform, horizontal, three times as long as supraocular spines and almost half remaining carapace length. Supraocular spines divergent. Anterolateral spines situated at anterolateral angle, slightly divergent, not extending to base of sinus between rostrum and supraocular spine. Margins of carapace anterior to cervical groove with 2 spines (including anterolateral); with 5 spines posterior to cervical groove.

Sternum: Sternite 3 broadly subquadrate; anterior margin sinuous. Sternite 4 with pair of short striae, otherwise smooth; anterior margin broadly and evenly convex. Sternites 5–7 smooth. Ridges demarcating sternites smooth or slightly crenulate.

Abdomen: Tergite 2 with 8 spines along anterior ridge; with 1 transverse stria and 2 short arcuate striae laterally. Tergite 3 unarmed, with pair of short, shallow transverse striae and 1 uninterrupted transverse stria. Tergites 4 and 5 with 2 medially interrupted transverse striae.

Eye: Large, with maximum corneal diameter almost half basal distance between anterolateral spines; peduncle with few distal setae.

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

Antenna: Basal segment with strong mesial spine, apex not reaching beyond segment 2. Segment 2 with small spine on mesial margin; distomesial spine reaching to about midlength of segment 4, lateral reaching to or almost to midlength of segment 3. Segments 3 and 4 unarmed.

Maxilliped 3: Ischium with 2 small distal flexor spines. Merus shorter than ischium; flexor margin with strong distal and proximal spine; extensor margin unarmed.

Pereopod 1 (cheliped): About 1.5 times carapace length; with few rows of spines and few short squamae; margins with sparse plumose setae and scattered iridescent setae. Dactylus slightly longer than palm; unarmed dorsally except for small proximal spine; occlusal margin denticulate, without gape. Propodus palm about 1.6 times as long as high; with dorsal, medial and ventral row of spines; pollex with 2 subdistal spines, ventral margin unarmed. Carpus 1.5 times long as high, shorter than palm with dorsal and ventral row of spines. Merus with strong distal and dorsal spines, longest not reaching midlength of carpus; surface otherwise unarmed except for row of 6 small lateral spines.

Pereopod 2: Merus with 13 extensor and 8 flexor spines. Carpus extensor margin with 2 spines, proximal margin irregular; with distal flexor spine. Propodus 5.9 times as long as high; extensor margin unarmed; flexor margin with 9 small movable spines. Dactylus 0.7 propodus length; flexor margin with 10 movable spines, distalmost spine at base of unguis.

Pereopod 3: Merus with 12 or 13 extensor and 6 or 7 flexor spines. Carpus extensor margin with 2 spines, proximal margin irregular; with distal flexor spine. Propodus 6.3 times as long as high; extensor margin unarmed; flexor margin with 9 small movable spines. Dactylus 0.7 propodus length; flexor margin with 9 or 10 movable spines, distalmost spine at base of unguis.

Pereopod 4: Merus with 8 extensor and 3 flexor spines. Carpus with distal extensor and flexor spine. Propodus 5.4 times as long as high; extensor margin unarmed; flexor margin with 7 small movable spines. Dactylus 0.7 propodus length; flexor margin with 10 movable spines, distalmost spine at base of unguis.

Colour in life. Base colour translucent white. Carapace and abdomen dusky; anterolateral and rostral spines dull red distally. Chelipeds dusky; fingers red.

Munida cerisa , male holotype, 16.2 mm, TAN0308/29 (AM). A, dorsal view. B, right antennule, ventral view. C, right antenna, ventral view. D, right third maxilliped, lateral view (setae omitted). E, sternum. F, right cheliped, lateral view. G, H, right pereopod 2– 3. I, left pereopod 3. Scale: A, F–I = 3.0 mm; B–E = 1.5 mm.

Etymology. Derived from cherise, from the Old French (from the Latin cerasus) for cherry, alluding to the red fingers of the chelipeds.

Remarks. Munida cerisa sp. nov. most closely resembles M. collier sp. nov and M. curvirostris Henderson, 1885 , from the Philippines sharing subequal terminal spines on the basal antennular segment, five spines on the branchial carapace margins, absence of anterior branchial and postcervical spines on the dorsal surface, and relatively short chelipeds, not exceeding twice carapace length. It differs from M. collier in having six instead of eight epigastric spines, divergent rather than subparallel supraocular spines, in having the distal flexor spine on the walking leg dactyli placed at the base of, rather than well proximal to the base of the unguis, and in colour pattern. Munida collier bears red markings and patches over most of the dorsal surface in contrast to M. cerisa in which only the cheliped fingers are red ( Fig. 10 B–D). Munida cerisa differs from M. curvirostris in having a narrower and rounded rather than broad, subtruncate median anterior margin of sternite 4, more divergent supraocular spines, and shorter distal spines on the cheliped merus in which the longest spine reaches to less than the midlength of the carpus, rather than to the distal three-quarters.

Distribution. Presently known only from the type locality, west of Norfolk Island; 690– 812 m.

Figures

FIGURE 10. A, Munida acacia sp. nov., female holotype, 20.6 mm (NMNZ) B, Munida cerisa sp. nov., male holotype, 16.2 mm, TAN 0308 / 29 (AM). C, Munida collier sp. nov., ovigerous female paratype, 19.7 mm, TAN 0308 / 043 (AM P 73025). D, Munida collier sp. nov., male paratype, 19.6 mm, TAN 0308 / 043 (AM P 73024). E, Munida endeavourae Ahyong & Poore, 2004, ovigerous female, 21.7 mm, TAN 0308 / 009 (NIWA 28077).