Paraxiopsis austrinus ( Sakai, 1994 )

Poore, Gary C. B., 2018, Burrowing lobsters mostly from shallow coastal environments in Papua New Guinea (Crustacea: Axiidea: Axiidae, Micheleidae), Memoirs of Museum Victoria 77, pp. 1-14 : 11

Paraxiopsis austrinus ( Sakai, 1994)

Eutrichocheles austrinus Sakai, 1994: 185 , figs. 6, 7.— Sakai 2011: 111.

Paraxiopsis austrinus .— Kensley 2003, 373.— Poore and Collins 2009: 266 , fig. 29.

Material examined. Papua New Guinea. New Ireland Province, Kavieng region, KAVIENG 2014 stations. Mouth of Albatross Passage , E side, 02° 35.2' S, 150° 43.1' E, 13 m (stn KB72), IU-2014- 1046 (male, 6.1 mm). S coast of Baudison I., 02° 45.2' S, 150° 41.7' E, 22–27 m (stn KB68), IU-2014-1153 (male, 7.6 mm; ovigerous female, 6.3 mm). E of Albatross Passage, 02° 45.2' S, 150° 43.4' E, 13–17 m (stn KB24), IU-2014-2364 (male, 9.0 mm) .

Diagnosis. Carapace smooth, with tomentum of short and longer setae. Rostrum with 0–3 small lateral teeth; lateral gastric carina with supraorbital spine plus 2 teeth; submedian gastric carina with 6–8 teeth; median gastric carina without spines. Telson with 3 or 4 pairs of dorsal spines. Cheliped merus with 2 spines on upper margin, palm unornamented. Male pleopod 1 absent in small specimens, single article in adults.

Distribution. Northern Australia; New Ireland Province, Papua New Guinea; to 27 m depth.

Remarks. The new material extends the range of this species from Darwin, northern Australia, to Papua New Guinea. The species differs from the original description only in having no rostral spines (three small spines in Australian specimens) and in having one (rather than two) post-supraocular spine on the lateral gastric carina. All of the males lack pleopod 1 but possess a minute tubercle in its place. Kensley (2003) and Poore and Collins (2009) justified the generic placement of this species.