Munida hispida Benedict, 1902

Hendrickx, Michel E., 2021, Squat lobsters (Crustacea: Decapoda: Anomura: Galatheoidea) from off the northwestern coast of the Baja California Peninsula, Mexico, Zootaxa 4965 (2), pp. 375-384 : 378-380

Munida hispida Benedict, 1902

( Fig. 3 )

Munida hispida .— Fierro Rengifo et al., 2008: 6 (list); Wicksten, 2012: 146 , figs. 34c, d, pl. 7D.

Material examined. St. 2 (28°47.86’N, 114°49.30’W), April 16, 2005, 93 m, one damaged female (CL, 57.3 mm; CLwr, 44.0 mm; chelipeds missing), one female (CL, 44.0; CLwr, 28.6 mm; RCh, 90 mm; LCh, 87 mm), and one ovigerous female (CL, 45.5 mm; CLwr, 31.9 mm; RCh, 81 mm; LCh, 82 mm) (ICML-EMU-12824). St. 23 (31°37.47’, 116°44.25’W), April 19, 2005, 238 m, one ovigerous female (CL, 45.2 mm; CLwr, 35.1 mm; RCh, 105 mm; LCh, 87 mm) and one ovigerous female (CL, 48.1 mm; CLwr, 35.2 mm; RCh, 115 mm; LCh, 113 mm) (ICML- EMU-12825). St. 27 (27 (31°37.75’N, 116°45.87’W), April 18, 2005, 247 m, one male (CL, 39.4 mm; CLwr, 25.9 mm; RCh, 87 mm; LCh, 90 mm), one male (CL 40.1 mm, CLwr, 27.4 mm), and one ovigerous female (CL 48.6; CLwr, 33.0 mm) (ICML-EMU-12826) ( Fig. 1 ).

Distribution. From Monterey Bay, California, to off Peru and Galapagos Islands, Ecuador ( Hendrickx 2000, Baba et al. 2008). The only previous records in Mexico are from NW of Cedros Island ( Hendrickx 2000), off Punta Banda, and at 31°22.5N 118°38’W (off Ensenada, west coast of Baja California) (Hendrickx 2003), west coast of Baja California Peninsula. This is the fourth record of M. hispida for Mexico. The depth of 93 m reported here is slightly shallower than previous depth records of 165‒518 m ( Hendrickx 2000, Wicksten 2012).

Remarks. The type of M. hispida was re-examined and re-described by Hendrickx (2000). The material examined herein feature the typical long, sharp rostrum and the slightly diverging, strong postorbital spines, the numerous small spines all over the carapace, the typical series of spines along the posterior margin of the carapace, a similar armature in the lateral margin of the carapace, the numerous small spines on abdominal somites 2 and 3, and somite 4 with only one pair of central, small spines. The structure and spines of the 3rd maxilliped (including the armature of the merus), and of the antennal and antennular peduncles also fit well with the type material. Finally, the sternite 3 is typically projecting forward (“neck-like”) and the lateral parts of sternite 7 bear the typical small, rounded granules observed on the type material. One ovigerous female (CL 45.2 mm) features strongly asymmetrical chelipeds, with spines sharper and stronger than in the other specimens examined and in the type specimen ( Fig. 3B ).

There is no clear explanation for the huge gap between the California-northwestern Mexico distribution of M. hispida and its presence off Peru and the Galapagos Islands (the type locality) other than the fact that it might occur in water deeper than usually sampled .

According to Wicksten (2012), the maximum size of M. hispida is to 20 mm CL; the specimens examined herein, however, include a female of 57.3 mm CL, the largest specimen on record. All samples included, specimens CL were: males, 39.4‒40.1 mm; females, 44.0‒ 57.3 mm; ovigerous females, 45.2‒48.1 mm.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Localities where the specimens of squat lobsters were collected. J. californiensis (D); Munida hispida (A, B, D); M. quadrispina (C). M. tenella (C).

FIGURE 3. Munida hispida Benedict, 1902. Ovigerous female, CL 45.2 mm (ICML-EMU-12825). A. Carapace and abdomen, dorsal. B. Chelipeds, dorsal.