Uroptychus alcocki, AHYONG & POORE, 2004

Schnabel, Kareen E., 2009, A review of the New Zealand Chirostylidae (Anomura: Galatheoidea) with description of six new species from the Kermadec Islands, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 155 (3), pp. 542-582 : 549-551

UROPTYCHUS ALCOCKI AHYONG & POORE, 2004

Uroptychus alcocki Ahyong & Poore, 2004: 15 , fig. 2 [type locality: south-east of Ballina, New South

Wales, Australia, 29° 02′S, 153° 48′E, 137 m; holotype, ♀, AM P31412]. – Baba, 2005: 28, fig. 6 .

Material examined: Lord Howe Ridge: 1 ♀ ovig. (7.1 mm), 24° 52.90′ S, 159° 37.30′ E, 69 m, 3.vi.1978, stn Q71 ( NIWA 23033 ) . 6 ♀ ovig. (6.3–6.9 mm), 1 ♀ (6.1 mm), 5 ♂ (5.7–7.1 mm), 26° 59.70′S, 159° 18.90′E, 376–427 m, 2.vi.1978, stn Q70 ( NIWA 23030 ) . 5 ♀ ovig. (5.5–7.0 mm), 1 ♀ (5.6 mm), 3 ♂ (6.4–7.4 mm), 27° 00.00′S, 159° 18.29′E, 354–377 m, 2.vi.1978, stn Q69 ( NIWA 23031 ) . 7 ♀ ovig. (4.9–8.6 mm), 1 ♀ (6.4 mm) 9 ♂ (4.1–7.4 mm), 27° 00.00′S, 159° 18.29′E, 354–377 m, 2.vi.1978, stn Q69 ( NIWA 23032 ) . Guyot Seamount: 1 ♀ (4.9 mm), 1 ♂ (5.5 mm), 27° 59.59′S, 155° 37.50′E, 420 m, 11.xii.1979, stn P925 ( NIWA 10893 ) . West Norfolk Ridge : 1 ♂ (6.8 mm), 32° 10.80′S, 167° 21.19′E, 356 m, 25.vii.1975, stn I96 ( NIWA 23034 ) . Norfolk Ridge: 1 ♀ (5.0 mm), 28° 54.60′S, 167° 44.20′E, 390–402 m, 27.i.1977, stn P27 ( NIWA 23036 ) . 1 ♀ ovig. (8.5 mm), 29° 41.83′S, 168° 02.62′E, 337– 322 m, 14.v.2003, RV Tangaroa , stn TAN0308/20 ( NMNZ Cr. 012074) . 1 ♂ (5.9 mm), 32° 37.38′S, 167° 35.17′E, 126– 121 m, 29.v.2003, RV Tangaroa , stn TAN0308/106 ( NMNZ Cr. 012075). Kermadec Ridge : 1 ♂ (6.1 mm), 30° 31.60′S, 178° 34.39′W, 275 m, 27.iii.1982, stn T255 ( NIWA 23035 ) . 2 ♀ ovig. (8.6, 8.8 mm), 33° 02.59′S, 179° 34.60′W, 350–490 m, 18.vii.1974, NZOI stn K795 ( NMNZ Cr. 012076) . 1 ♀ ovig. (5.9 mm), no station information, stn B.S. 353 ( NMNZ Cr. 012077) .

Diagnosis: Carapace glabrous; longer than wide; lateral margins subparallel, with anterolateral spine, lateral spine at base of indistinct cervical groove and usually with small spine at anterior margin of branchial region; dorsum unarmed. Rostrum broad triangular, slightly broader than long, nearly horizontal. Sternal plastron about as wide as long along midline; sternite 3 strongly depressed, anterior margin distinctly concave with pair of median spines. Telson having posterior lobe relatively long and narrow, about 2.5 times that of anterior lobe. Eyes not extending beyond (but nearly reaching) tip of rostrum. Basal antennal article with small outer spine; ultimate article with distal spine. Antennal scale slightly extending beyond midlength to barely reaching end of ultimate article. Maxilliped 3 merus with small spine on distal portion of extensor margin; merus with small distolateral spine and small extensor marginal spine proximally. Pereopod 1 (cheliped) propodus palm entirely granular; carpus, merus, and ischium with distinctly granular ventral surface; ischium with short distolateral spine. Pereopods 2–4 carpi and meri unarmed along dorsal margin; propodi with row of 6–8 inclined spines, distalmost paired; dactyli with large, sharp triangular, slightly inclined and widely spaced spines along flexor margin.

Variation and remarks: New Zealand material corresponds well with the descriptions given by Ahyong & Poore (2004) and Baba (2005). Small variations were noted as follows: the lateral carapace margin may have a bifurcate large spine behind the anterolateral spines ( NIWA 23033), and a second spine behind the anterolateral spine is frequent but absent in about 10% of specimens; the lateral margin of the rostrum may be convex (more leaf-like) ( NIWA 23033); the

KEY TO NEW ZEALAND SPECIES OF UROPTYCHUS

1. Dorsal surface and appendages covered with denticles or small spines .............. Uroptychus kaitara sp. nov.

– Dorsal surface and appendages not covered with denticles or small spines.................................................2

2. Lateral margins of carapace with spines, other than anterolateral spine ................................................... 3

– Lateral margins of carapace without spines, other than anterolateral spine ............................................... 6

3. Single spine on carapace lateral margin only........................................................................................4

– Multiple spines on carapace lateral margin.......................................................................................... 5

4. Rostrum wide, triangular (about as broad as long). Penultimate antennal articles unarmed........................... ............................................................................................. Uroptychus alcocki Ahyong & Poore, 2004

– Rostrum narrow, triangular (longer than broad). Penultimate antennal article with distal spine ..................... ........................................................................................... Uroptychus novaezelandiae Borradaile, 1916

5. Dorsal carapace surface with spines. P2–4 carpi and meri with dorsal spines......... Uroptychus paku sp. nov.

– Dorsal carapace surface unarmed. P2–4 carpi and meri of unarmed................ Uroptychus yaldwyni sp. nov.

6. Carapace wider than long (including rostrum). Sternum at least three times as wide as long along midline...... ...................................................................................................... Uroptychus scambus Benedict, 1902

– Carapace longer than wide (including rostrum). Sternum at most slightly wider than long...........................7

7. P2–4 dactyli with flexor marginal spines (other than distal two) strongly inclined, nearly contiguous to flexor margin....................................................................................... Uroptychus australis ( Henderson, 1885)

– P2–4 dactylus with flexor marginal spines not contiguous to flexor margin................................................ 8

8. P2–4 propodi with row of spines along flexor margin ............................................................................. 9

– P2–4 propodi with distal spines only ................................................................................................. 12

9. Lateral carapace margins parallel. Rostrum strongly deflected ventrally............ Uroptychus webberi sp. nov.

– Lateral margin convex. Rostrum horizontal or slightly deflected ventrally................................................ 10

10. P2–4 propodi flexor margin with single distal spine only ...................................................... Uroptychus sp.

– P2–4 propodi flexor margin with pair of distal spines ........................................................................... 11

11. Cheliped with large curved spine on ischium. Fringe of plumose setae along extensor margin of P2–4 dactyli- .............................................................................................................. Uroptychus maori Baba, 1974

– Cheliped with small dorsal spine on ischium. P2–4 dactyli without plumose setae........................................ ................................................................................................... Uroptychus politus ( Henderson, 1885)

12. P2–4 dactyli shorter than half length of propodus, with three to six spines along flexor margin...................... ....................................................................................................... Uroptychus tomentosus Baba, 1974

– P2–4 dactyli longer than half length of propodus, with seven spines along flexor margin............................13

13. Carapace with distinct inflation in epigastric region; carapace without process on anterior portion of branchial lateral region ............................................................................................. Uroptychus rutua sp. nov.

– Epigastric carapace region not inflated; distinct process on anterior portion of branchial lateral region ............ ................................................................................................................. Uroptychus toka sp. nov.

ocular peduncle is generally wider than previously illustrated, with the peduncle width being 0.23–0.28 the distance between anterolateral spines compared to 0.18 ( Ahyong & Poore 2004) and 0.2 ( Baba, 2005); the anterior margin of sternite 4 is acute in five specimens (e.g. NIWA 23035 and NMNZ Cr. 012077); The cheliped is more massive in large males (males from NIWA 23031 had a ratio of the palm length– width of 2.7–2.9 whereas the females had ratios between 3.6 and 4.5); the fingers of the cheliped are widely gaping in large male specimens and one specimen (NIWA 23031) had a second distodorsal spine on the merus in addition to the distodorsal spine on the carpus.

Distribution and ecological remarks: Uroptychus alcocki is so far known from eastern Australia, Tasman Sea, northern New Zealand, Kermadec Islands, Taiwan, and Japan; it appears to be widespread in the western Pacific (K. Baba, pers. comm.). This species is not known south of 33°S across the Tasman Sea and is not known north of 32°N indicating that it prefers tropical to subtropical latitudes ( Fig. 5 ). This species is now known from a depth range of 69 to 600 m.

Some specimens were preserved clinging to small pieces of gorgonian coral (NIWA 10893, 23031, and 23032) indicating a possible association.

Figures

Figure 5. Records of Uroptychodes spinimarginatus (Henderson, 1885), Uroptychus alcocki Ahyong & Poore, 2004, Uroptychus australis (Henderson, 1885), Uroptychus novaezelandiae Borradaile, 1916, Uroptychus maori Borradaile, 1916, Uroptychus politus (Henderson, 1885), Uroptychus scambus Benedict, 1902, and Uroptychus sp. around New Zealand. Solid symbols indicate type records. 250, 1000, and 2500 m bathymetric contours are shown.