Austrodromidia insignis (Rathbun, 1923)

Mclay, Colin L. & Hosie, Andrew M., 2022, The sponge crabs of Western Australia and the Northwest Shelf with descriptions of new genera and species (Crustacea: Brachyura: Dromiidae), Zootaxa 5129 (3), pp. 301-355 : 309

Austrodromidia insignis (Rathbun, 1923)

( Fig. 3A–C )

Dromidia insignis Rathbun, 1923a: 149 , pl. XL figs. 2, 3. — Hale, 1927: 107, fig. 102.

Austrodromidia insignis . — McLay, 1993: 185.— Davie, 2002: 159.— Poore et al., 2008: 37, text photo.

Not Austrodromidia insignis Poore, 2004: 303 , fig. 86d (identity of illustrated specimen uncertain.).

Material examined. New South Wales: NHM 1879.8 , Port Jackson (Sydney Harbour), 13 fathoms (23.8 m), presented by J. Brazier Esq, mature female 11.0 × 10.8 mm, carrying solitary ascidian cap .

Remarks. The carapace of A. insignis is domed, covered in short spatuliform tomentum ( A. australis not so strongly convex, covered in short coarse tomentum); the rostrum is tridentate, and the anterolateral margins of the carapace may have 1 or 2 small teeth (strongly tridentate, anterolateral border armed with several strong teeth). The CSIRO Database includes images of specimens taken from Western Australia: Kalbarri, 27.8°S, 113.31°E, 4- 12-2005, 96–98 m, specimen details not available; South Coast, 35.35°S, 118.3°E, 25- 11-2005, 179 m, specimen details not available; South Coast, 35.18°S, 118.65°E, 25- 11-2005, 156 m, specimen details not available; South Coast, off Bald Island, 35.27°S, 118.72°E, 25-11-2005, beam trawl, 97–98 m, specimen details not available. The CSIRO photos of several freshly caught A. insignis show specimens with 10–12 large red-brown spots on carapace, with the same colour highlighting the facial area and mouthparts and on the moveable finger of the chelipeds. Some other specimens lacked these spots and were just the pale cream ground colour.

Distribution. Austrodromidia insignis is a Southern Australian endemic: New South Wales, South Australia, Victoria and Western Australia. Depth 128– 249 m.

Figures

FIGURE 3. Austrodromidia insignis (Rathbun, 1923), female, 11.0 × 10.8 mm, Sydney Harbour (NHM 1879: 8): A, dorsal view; B, ventral view; C, ventral view without abdomen, showing sternal grooves filled with sperm plaque.