Paramunida antipodes, 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 : 65-68

Paramunida antipodes n. sp. ( Fig. 16 )

Type material. HOLOTYPE: AM P31419, male (11.9 mm), NE of Tweed Heads , Queensland, 28º05’S, 153º58’E, 420 m, K78­09­04, 1 Jun 1978 . PARATYPES: AM P31420, 1 male (10.5 mm), type locality; AM P31515, 1 female (9.7 mm) NE of Long Reef , New South Wales, 33º41–39’S, 151º53–56’E, 485 m, trawl, K80­21­05, 16 Dec 1980 ; AM P31426, 1 female (11.9 mm), NE of Tweed Heads , 28º02’S, 153º59’E, 549 m, K78­09­05, 2 Jun 1978 ; AM P67171, 1 female (12.9 mm), NE of Tweed Heads , Queensland, 27º57’S, 154º03’E, 548 m, K78­23­04, 6 Nov 1978 .

Diagnosis. Carapace with pair of epigastric spines and protogastric spines; with large mesogastric spine; cardiac region with longitudinal row of 2 or 3 spines; posterior margin with median spine; branchiocardiac region with longitudinal row of 3 spines on each side. Fourth sternite with several irregular transverse striae; fifth to seventh sternites with some short striae laterally. Basal antennular segment lateral margin with 4 or 5 small spines. First antennal segment with long, sinuous anteriorly directed mesial spine extending anteriorly almost to end of second segment of antennular peduncle. Second segment slender, with lateral and mesial distal spines; mesial spine distally indented to form spiniform apex, reaching beyond distal peduncle segment; lateral spine reaching beyond midlength but not beyond end of penultimate segment. Walking legs with propodus length about 9 times width.

Description. Carapace: Dorsum covered with numerous small spinules and granules; cervical groove distinct; with pair of epigastric spines and protogastric spines; with large median mesogastric spine; cardiac region with longitudinal row of 2 or 3 spines; posterior margin with median spine and numerous small spinules; branchiocardiac region with longitudinal row of 3 spines on each side. Frontal margin slightly concave; anterolateral spine extending slightly beyond base of sinus between rostrum and supraocular spines. Margins of carapace anterior to cervical groove with 2 spines (including anterolateral); with 6 spines posterior to cervical groove. Rostrum with low median carina, inclined slightly dorsally; not extending beyond cornea.

Sternum: Fourth sternite with several irregular transverse striae; fifth to seventh sternites with some short striae laterally.

Abdomen: Second and third tergites with 4 spines on anterior border (paired submedian spines and paired lateral spines) and 2 spines on posterior border (submedians); dorsum with irregular rows of granules and small spinules. Fourth tergite with 4 spines on anterior border (paired submedians and pair of laterals) and median spine on posterior border; dorsum with irregular rows of granules and small spinules. Fifth and sixth tergites covered with numerous arcuate striae.

Eyes: Maximum corneal width exceeding one­third distance between anterolateral spines; peduncle with setose dorsal striae and row of long distal setae (‘eyelashes’).

Antennule: Basal segment exceeding corneae; with 2 terminal spines, lateral distinctly longer than mesial; lateral margin with 4 or 5 small spines, setose.

Antenna: First segment with long, sinuous anteriorly directed mesial spine; setose laterally; extending anteriorly almost to end of second segment of antennular peduncle. Second segment slender, with lateral and mesial terminal spines; mesial spine distally indented to form spiniform apex, reaching beyond distal peduncle segment; lateral spine reaching beyond midlength but not beyond end of penultimate segment.

Maxilliped 3: Merus flexor margin with strong median spine. Ischium with strong distal flexor spine.

Pereopod 1 (cheliped): Slender, squamate, subcylindrical, about 3.5 times carapace length. Dactylus slightly shorter than palm. Pollex with subterminal spine. Carpus with row of 3 dorsal spines, 2 distodorsal spines and 1 distoventral spine. Merus with irregularly spaced spines on dorsal lateral and mesial surfaces.

Pereopods 2–4: Merus extensor margin with 8–16 spines; flexor margin with 3 or 4 spines. Carpus with 1 or 2 extensor and 1 distal flexor spine. Propodus length about 9 times width; extensor margin unarmed; flexor margin with row of 8–13 movable spines. Dactylus sinuous, unarmed, about 0.7 propodus length.

Etymology. Named antipodes , an archaic vernacular name for Australia, as the first species of the genus to be described from Australian waters; used as a noun in apposition.

Remarks. Paramunida antipodes n. sp. most closely resembles P. stichas Macpherson, 1993b , but differs in bearing one instead of three large mesogastric spines, in bearing protogastric spines behind the epigastric spines, and three or four spines instead of one small spine on the lateral margin of the basal antennular segment. A 10.5 mm male (AM P31420) is infected by a bopyrid isopod beneath the right posterior portion of the carapace.

Distribution. Eastern Australia from Long Reef, New South Wales, to northeast of Tweed Heads, southern Queensland; 420 and 548 m.

Figures

FIGURE 16. Paramunida antipodes n. sp., holotype male, (11.9 mm), AM P31419. A, dorsum. B, carapace, right lateral profile. C, right cheliped. D, right pereopod 2, dorsal. E, left antennule and antenna, ventral. F, right third maxilliped, lateral. G, sternum. Scale A–D = 4 mm, E–G = 2 mm.