Leptomithrax garricki Griffin, 1966

Ahyong, Shane T., 2008, Deepwater crabs from seamounts and chemosynthetic habitats off eastern New Zealand (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura), Zootaxa 1708 (1), pp. 1-72 : 42

Leptomithrax garricki Griffin, 1966

( Fig. 18B )

Leptomithrax garricki Griffin, 1966: 69–72 , figs 14, 22, pl. 1–2 [type locality: off Kaikoura, New Zealand; 403 m]. — Dell 1968a: 24; 1968c: 233, 238. — Takeda & Miyake 1969: 158, 185–186, pl. 3B. — Griffin & Tranter, 1986: 209. — McLay 1988: 152, fig. 35. — Takeda in Amaoka et al. 1990: 367. — Naylor et al. 2005. — Ahyong et al. 2007: 160.

Material examined. Tuatoru Seamount: NIWA 6735 , 1 male (cl 98.0mm), 37°27.63–27.91’S, 177°12.52– 12.18’E, 464–473 m, TAN0413/72, 12 Nov 2004 .

Remarks. Leptomithrax garricki is one of the deepest living spider crabs in New Zealand waters with a bathymetric range that extends to at least 800 m ( Griffin 1966). The species was figured in colour by Naylor et al. (2005) and Ahyong et al. (2007). Note, however, that the text given in the account of L. garricki by Ahyong et al. (2007: 160) is identical to that given under their account of Leptomithrax longimanus Miers, 1876 (see Ahyong et al. 2007: 161); it was inadvertently duplicated during the production process.

Distribution. Bay of Plenty, south to Kaikoura and the Chatham Rise; 171–800 m ( McLay 1988; Takeda in Amaoka et al. 1990; Naylor et al. 2005).

Figures

FIGURE 18. A, Eurynome bituberculata Griffin, 1964, male, cl 7.4 mm (NIWA 9851). B, Leptomithrax garricki Griffin, 1966, male, cl 98.0mm (NIWA 6735).