Calcinus spicatus Forest, 1951

Poupin, Joseph & Lemaitre, Rafael, 2003, Hermit crabs of the genus Calcinus Dana, 1851 (Decapoda: Anomura: Diogenidae) from the Austral Islands, French Polynesia, with description of a new species, Zootaxa 391, pp. 1-20 : 16-17

Calcinus spicatus Forest, 1951

Calcinus spicatus Forest, 1951: 90 , figs. 10–13 (type locality: Gambier Islands, French Polynesia); Haig & McLaughlin, 1984: 119 ( Australia, Vanuatu); Morgan, 1991: 903, figs. 56–59 ( Australia); Tudge, 1995: 14, pl. 2D ( Australia); Poupin, 1996: 4, 15; Poupin, 1997: 711, figs. 2I, 3J, 6D. Calcinus cf. spicatus .— McLaughlin & Dworschak, 2001: 155 (Tahiti).

Calcinus latens .— Heller, 1865: 88 (in part, Tahiti) [Not C. latens (Randall, 1840) = Calcinus cf. spicatus , see “Remarks”].

Material examined. French Polynesia, Austral Islands, BENTHAUS Expedition. Rapa Island: Haurei Bay, seashore at low tide, coll. A. Warén, 8.xi.2002: 1 ɗ 4.2 mm, 1 ov. Ψ 2.4 mm ( MNHN Pg 6396); Rapa Iti islet, malacologist team, stn 82, 27°37.3’S, 144°18.1’W, low tide, 12,13. xi.2002: 2 spec. in shells ( MNHN Pg 6399). Thiers Bank: stn DW 1926, 24°38.16’S, 146°00.82’W, 50–90 m, 13.xi.2002: 1 ov. Ψ 2.6 mm, 1 Ψ 2.3 mm ( MNHN Pg 6397). Arago Bank: stn DW 1984, 23°26.37’S, 150°43.91’W, 40 m, 21.xi.2002: 1 ɗ 2.0 mm ( MNHN Pg 6398).

Additional material. New Caledonia, Ouano reef, intertidal, coll. B. Richer de Forges, 24.iv.1998: 1 ɗ ( MNHN). Loyalty Islands, LIFOU, stn 1422, Santal Bay, Easo, 4 m, 20°47.1’S, 167°07.4’ E, 25.xi.2000: 1 ɗ ( MNHN). Cook Islands, Mangaia, Oneroa village, stn 175, 21°54.30'S, 157°58'W, 0–1.5 m, coll. C.A. Child, 3.viii.1978: 1 ɗ 3.3 mm ( USNM 222313).

Diagnosis. Ocular acicles with single terminal spine. Outer face of left chela regularly convex. Upper margin of right chela with 4 or 5 corneous­tipped spines. Dactyl of P3 subequal in length to propodus; ventrodistal pilosity of P3 more pronounced than on P2, but not forming dense brush of setae. Telson with posterior lobes armed with 11–13 (left) or 5–8 (right) on terminal and lateral margins. Shield burgundy. Ocular peduncles burgundy with narrow white band adjacent to cornea. Antennular peduncles orange, with distal half of ultimate segment blue; flagella orange. Basal segments of antennal peduncles burgundy, distal segments and flagella orange. Meri and carpi of chelipeds black, with burgundy on anterior margins. Chelae black on proximal half; distal half of palm and fingers burgundy, fading to white at finger tips. Ambulatory legs banded in orange and burgundy; meri and carpi burgundy, with orange hue proximally; propodi yellow on proximal 0.6, burgundy distally; dactyls burgundy.

Distribution. Pacific Ocean: from eastern Australia to French Polynesia. Depth: intertidal to 40 m.

Habitat. On rocky shores in the intertidal, and subtidal coral bottoms.

Remarks. In the smallest specimens examined of C. spicatus , the number of spines on the terminal margins of the telson is fewer than in larger specimens. In small specimens the number of spines ranges from 5–8 (left lobe) or 0–2 (right lobe), whereas in large specimens the number ranges from 11–13 (left lobe) or 5–8 (right lobe). Calcinus spicatus is similar to C. pascuensis Haig, 1974 from Easter Island, in armature of ocular acicles and telson, and aspect of both chelae. They differ in ventrodistal pilosity of P3, which is weak and similar to that of P 2 in C. pascuensis , whereas it is slightly more pronounced on P3 than on P 2 in C. spicatus . They also differ in coloration, C. pascuensis lacking burgundy hues, and the ambulatory legs have a distinct striped pattern.

Heller's (1865) specimens of C. latens (Randall) from Tahiti were assigned by McLaughlin & Dworschak (2001) to C. cf. spicatus .