Mariaplax mica, Rahayu & Ng, 2014

Rahayu, Dwi Listyo & Ng, Peter K. L., 2014, New genera and new species of Hexapodidae (Crustacea, Brachyura) from the Indo-West Pacific and east Atlantic, Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 62, pp. 396-483 : 442-443

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.5281/zenodo.5353945
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:4CF42744-861A-4635-9703-E6639CEBFAA9
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/83063BD6-D6D9-4FAD-9F58-122939BA14FB
taxon LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:act:83063BD6-D6D9-4FAD-9F58-122939BA14FB
treatment provided by	Tatiana
scientific name	Mariaplax mica
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Mariaplax mica View in CoL , new species

( Figs. 1J View Fig , 37 View Fig , 38 View Fig )

Material examined. Holotype: female (6.7 × 4.5 mm) ( NMCR 39069 ), PANGLAO 2005, station CP 2407, 9°41.3'N, 123°48.5'E, Bohol Sea , Philippines, coll. M/V BFAR, 204 –256m, 1 June 2005. GoogleMaps

Diagnosis. Carapace subquadrate, about 1.5 times as broad as long; dorsal surface covered by tubercles; regions indistinct ( Fig. 37A View Fig ). Anterolateral margin arcuate; posterolateral corner with angled prominence over base of posterior pereopods ( Figs. 37A View Fig , 38A View Fig ). Eye small, slightly movable, cornea globular ( Fig. 37C View Fig ). Pterygostomial region with row of oblique striae ( Fig. 37B View Fig ). Third maxillipeds relatively broad, almost completely covering buccal cavity ( Figs. 37B View Fig , 38B View Fig ); ischium of third maxillipeds slightly expanded subproximaly, mesial margin oblique; combined length of dactylus, propodus and carpus shorter than that of merus and ischium; exopod narrow, 0.3 width of ischium, flagellum well developed. Chelipeds stout, unequal ( Fig. 37D View Fig ) pubescent, tuberculated; major chela with gap when fingers closed; minor chela with narrower gap between closed fingers. P2–P4 long, slender ( Fig. 37A View Fig ) covered by tubercles; merus of P4 3.6 times as long as broad; dactylus of P2 and P4 upcurved ( Fig. 37A View Fig ); outer surface of merus with longitudinal groove ( Fig. 37A View Fig ). Female thoracic sternum relatively broad ( Fig. 37B View Fig ), covered by tubercles; sternites 1 and 2 fused, separated from sternite 3 by distinct ridge; sternite 3 separated from sternite 4 by distinct tuberculate ridge laterally; sternoabdominal cavity not reaches base of sternite 3. Female abdomen wide ( Figs. 37B View Fig , 38C View Fig ); somites 1 to 6 free, telson with rounded distal margin.

Colour. In life, pinkish brown overall, with the tubercles on the pereopods dark brown ( Fig. 1J View Fig ).

Etymology. From Latin mica , tuberculate, alluding to the heavily granular carapace and pereopods. Name is used as a noun in apposition.

Remarks. Mariaplax mica , new species, resembles M. cyrtophallus , new species, in the heavily granulated carapace and pereopods, a similar shape of the third maxilliped and the relatively long P2–P4. However, the carapace is distinctively more squarish in M. mica ( Figs. 37A View Fig ) while in M. cyrtophallus the anterolateral margin of the carapace is narrower, sloping to wider posterolateral margin ( Fig. 28A View Fig ). The P2–P4 are also proportionately longer and the granules on the carapace and pereopods are relatively larger in M. mica ( Figs. 37A View Fig , 38A View Fig versus Figs. 28A View Fig , 29I View Fig ).

They also appear to have different depth preferences: M. mica was collected from more than 200 m while M. cyrtophallus was collected from shallow waters 15– 30 m.

Type locality. Bohol Sea , Philippines .

Distribution. Bohol Sea, Philippines. Deep water, 204– 256 m.