Platymaia aff. remifera, Rathbun, 1916

Lee, Bee Yan, Forges, Bertrand Richer De & Ng, Peter K. L., 2017, Deep-sea spider crabs of the families Epialtidae MacLeay, 1838 and Inachidae MacLeay, 1838, from the South China Sea, with descriptions of two new species (Decapoda, Brachyura, Majoidea), European Journal of Taxonomy 358, pp. 1-37 : 30-31

Platymaia aff. remifera

Fig. 16 A–B

Material examined

SOUTH CHINA SEA: 1 ovigerous ♀ (29.2 × 31.3 mm) ( ZRC 2016.0089), north of Zhongsha, stn CP4153, 16°13.94′ N, 114°27.21′ E to 16°14.25′ N, 114°29.55′ E, 318 m, coll. ZHONGSHA 2015 Expedition, 27 Jul. 2015; 1 juvenile (10.7 × 10.5 mm) ( ZRC 2016.0090), Dongsha, stn CP4128, 20°44.86′ N, 116°08.01′ E to 20°42.28′ N, 116°08.01′ E, 420–444 m, coll. DONGSHA 2014 Expedition, 1 May 2014; 7 juveniles (only the measurement of the largest specimen is given: 10.6 × 10.0 mm) ( ZRC 2016.0091), Nanhai, continental slope, stn CP4117, 20°00.8788′ N, 114°08.80′ E to 20°01.87′ N, 114°09.36′ E, 421– 333 m, coll. NANHAI 2014 Expedition, 11 Jan. 2014.

TAIWAN: 1 ovigerous ♀ (32.7 × 35.8 mm) ( ZRC 2009.0674), TungKang, P.K.L. Ng leg., Jun. 2009; 1 ♂ (41.7 × 45.6 mm) ( ZRC 1998.458), Tashi, P.K.L. Ng leg., 25 May 1998; 1 ♂ (28.4 × 31.3 mm), 1 ovigerous ♀ (31.8 × 34.0 mm) ( ZRC 2016.0092), northeast Taiwan, Tashi port, 300–700 m, P.K.L. Ng leg., Jun. 1993; 2 ♂♂ (31.2 × 33.9 mm, 27.7 × 29.2 mm), 1 ovigerous ♀ (32.0 × 34.4 mm) ( ZRC 2001.0253), PingTung County, TungKang fishery port, K. Lim & H.H. Tan leg., 23 Nov. 2001; 2 ♂♂ (33.0 × 36.5 mm, 32.4 × 35.5 mm), 1 ♀ (32.9 × 35.5 mm) ( ZRC 1999.0769), I-Lan County, Tachi fish port, P.K.L. Ng & K. Lim leg., May 1999.

HONG KONG: 2 ♂♂ (36.8 × 39.2 mm, 30.8 × 33.0 mm) ( ZRC 1968.2.1.37), Cr. 4/64, stn 59, T/174, no other collection data.

PHILIPPINES: 2 ♀♀ (35.9 × 39.3 mm, 22.0 × 24.8 mm) ( ZRC 2016.0096), Bohol Sea, off Pamilacan Island, stn CP2341, 9°24.5′ N, 123°49.7′ E, 544–712 m, coll. PANGLAO 2005, 23 May 2005; 1 ♀ (35.5 × 36.4 mm) ( ZRC 2016.0093), Bohol Sea, off Balicasag Island, stn CP2398, 9°32.6′ N, 123°40.5′ E, 713–731 m, coll. PANGLAO 2005, 31 May 2005; 1 ♂ (21.1 × 24.0 mm) ( ZRC 2016.0094), Balicasag Island, P.K.L. Ng leg.; 1 ♂ (19.0 × 21.1 mm), 2 ♀♀ (34.6 × 37.2 mm, 15.0 × 17.0 mm), 2 juveniles ( ZRC 2016.0095), Bohol Sea, Maribojoc Bay, stn CP2332, 9°38.8′ N, 123°45.9′ E, 396–418 m, coll. PANGLAO 2005, 22 May 2005.

VANUATU: 1 ♂ (22.5 × 24.3 mm) ( ZRC 2016.0097), west coast of Malo Island, stn AT70, 15°40.7′ E, 167°00.5′ E, 517–614 m, coll. SANTO 2006, 7 Oct. 2006.

Remarks

Platymaia remifera Rathbun, 1916 , was described from the Philippines, between Cebu and Bohol ( Rathbun 1916: 530) without figures. Guinot & Richer de Forges (1986) first published photographs of the holotype specimen (Guinot & Richer de Forges 1986: pl. 2 figs A–C).

The present large female specimen from the SCS material has a granulated carapace. On the interior border of the branchial region, there is a series of three strongly curved spines ( Fig. 16A ), whereas the Taiwanese specimen has a series of five weak spines ( Fig. 16B ). On the thoracic sternum, there is a line of sharp spines adjacent to the margins of the abdomen. Compared to the material from Taiwan, which typically has granulation on thoracic sternum, all the specimens examined in this study possess spination that is similar to those from the Philippines (from PANGLAO 2005 expedition). This collection of Platymaia aff. remifera should be compared to the type material of P. remifera Rathbun, 1916 , that was collected from the central Philippines, and P. alcocki Rathbun, 1916 , that was collected from the Indian Ocean. Unfortunately, P. alcocki , was described on the basis of a juvenile specimen; hence certain morphological characteristics of the adult might not be obvious.

Distribution

This species seems to be very common in the northern Taiwanese waters ( Ng & Huang 1997), as well as the Philippines (Guinot & Richer de Forges 1986; Ng & Huang 1997), and has been reported from the SCS by Serène & Lohavanijaya (1973).

Figures

Fig. 16. Platymaia remifera Rathbun, 1916, overall dorsal view. A. Ovigerous ♀ (29.2 × 31.3 mm) (ZRC 2016.0089), South China Sea. B. ♂ (33.0 × 36.9 mm) (ZRC 1999.0769), Taiwan. Scale bars = 5 mm.