Laubierinia Richer de Forges & Ng, 2009

Yan, Bee, Lee, Forges, Bertrand Richer De & Ng, Peter K. L., 2021, The generic affinities of the Indo-West Pacific species assigned to Rochinia A. Milne-Edwards, 1875 (Crustacea: Brachyura: Majoidea: Epialtidae), Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 69, pp. 19-44 : 26

Laubierinia Richer de Forges & Ng, 2009

Laubierinia Richer de Forges & Ng, 2009a: 14 .

Type species. Rochinia carinata Griffin & Tranter, 1986 , original designation by Richer de Forges & Ng (2009a).

Species composition. With three species ( Table 1).

Comparative material examined. See Appendix 1.

Diagnosis. Carapace rounded; covered by thick tomentum, masking swollen regions ( Richer de Forges & Ng, 2009a: figs. 6E, 10A, 11D; Fig. 5A, D ). Pseudorostral spines short, stout, sharp, diverging at approximately 45° angle or less. Supraorbital eave with preorbital angle distinct, sharp; postorbital lobe cup-like, blunt anterior margin ( Richer de Forges & Ng, 2009a: figs. 6E, 9A, 10A, 11D; Fig. 5A, D ). Carapace with several strong elevated swollen regions, some flattened on top; hepatic region particularly elevated; diagnostic laterally flattened plate present on lateral carapace border of branchial region, forming groove with rest of carapace ( Richer de Forges & Ng, 2009a: figs. 6E, 9A, B 10A, B, 11D; Fig. 5A, C, D, F ). Antennal flagellum longer than pseudorostral spines. Basal antennal article longer than broad, outer margin slightly curved. Distal angle of buccal frame blunt, not raised. Pterygostomial region with single raised plate on outer margin ( Richer de Forges & Ng, 2009a: figs. 6F, 10C; Fig. 5B, E ). Chelipeds with propodus slightly inflated, carinate margin; carpus with carinate outer margin; merus triangular in cross-section, carinate on each margin. Ambulatory legs with carinate margin on merus, carpus, porpodus; merus with blunt distal angle; P2 longest ( Richer de Forges & Ng, 2009a: figs. 6E, 10A, 11D; Fig. 5A, D ). Male thoracic sternum slightly concave anteriorly; sternites 3, 4 narrow, with lateral margin constricted ( Richer de Forges & Ng, 2009a: figs. 6F, 10C; Fig. 5B, E ). Male pleon triangular, telson triangular; surface of somites smooth. G1 straight, slightly bifid at distal tip ( Richer de Forges & Ng, 2009a: fig. 9C, D; Fig. 9A, B ); G2 with blunt, rounded tip ( Richer de Forges & Ng, 2009a: fig. 9E, F).

Remarks. Laubierinia was established by Richer de Forges & Ng (2009a) for two species previously placed in Rochinia : L. carinata (Griffin & Tranter, 1986) (type species) ( Richer de Forges & Ng, 2009a: figs. 6E, F, 9A–F, 11D), and L. nodosa ( Rathbun, 1916) ( Richer de Forges & Ng, 2009a: fig. 10A–C). Laubierinia can be distinguished from Samadinia by its more rounded carapace (vs. pyriform carapace in Samadinia ), short and flattened pseudorostral spines (vs. long, slender pseudorostral spines in Samadinia ); the presence of a laterally flattened branchial plate on lateral margin of carapace (vs. smooth, with granules or rounded branchial plate on lateral margin of carapace in Samadinia ), and the presence of large distinct granules on the hepatic and branchial regions (vs. with hepatic and branchial spines or the lack of branchial spines in Samadinia ) ( Richer de Forges & Ng, 2009a). In the present study, one species is transferred to Laubierinia after the examination of the type. With the transfer of L. globulifera ( Wood-Mason & Alcock, 1891) , new combination, three species are now recognised in this genus ( Table 1).

Figures

Fig. 5. Laubierinia globulifera (Wood-Mason, in Wood-Mason & Alcock, 1891) new combination. A–C, lectotype female (11.0 × 6.7 mm) (NHM 96.5.14.2), Andaman; D–F, male (9.2 × 6.0 mm) (AM P.34652), Indonesia. A, D, overall dorsal view; B, E, overall ventral view; C, F, lateral view of carapace.

Fig. 9. Left G1 and G2. A, B, Laubierinia globulifera (Wood-Mason, in Wood-Mason & Alcock, 1891) new combination, male (9.2 × 6.0 mm) (AM P.34652), Indonesia; C, D, Oxypleurodon fultoni (Grant, 1905) new combination, holotype male (8.2 × 5.1 mm) (AM G.5427), Australia; E, F, Pugettia vesicularis (Rathbun, 1907) new combination, holotype male (14.6 × 10.6 mm) (USNM32860), Galapagos; G–J, Siderochinia kagoshimensis (Rathbun, 1932) new combination, holotype male (11.2 × 6.8 mm) (USNM 48253), Japan (after Lee et al., 2017: fig. 11E, F); K, L, S. aglaos, new species, holotype male (10.7 × 6.9 mm) (ZRC 2016.0549), South China Sea (after Lee et al., 2017: fig. 11G–J). A, C, E, G, K, ventral view; B, D, F, H, L, dorsal view; I, ventral view of G2; J, dorsal view of G2. Scale bar = 1 mm.