Spongicoloides iheyaensis Saito, Tsuchida & Yamamoto, 2006

Chen, Chien-Lin & Chan, Tin-Yam, 2022, New records of spongicolid shrimps (Crustacea, Decapoda, Stenopodidea) from Taiwan, Zootaxa 5189 (1), pp. 255-266 : 261-262

Spongicoloides iheyaensis Saito, Tsuchida & Yamamoto, 2006

( Figs. 5 , 6C )

Spongicoloides iheyaensis Saito, Tsuchida & Yamamoto, 2006: 224 , figs. 3–8. (Type locality: Okinawa Trough, Japan).— Bochini et al. 2020: 8.— Schnabel et al. 2021: 61.

Material examined. Taiwan 2000, stn CP 55, 24°26.9’N, 122°18.1’E, 4 Aug 2000, 638– 824 m, 1 female cl 8.0 mm ( NTOU M02480 ) . Taiwan 2001, stn CD 134, 22°16.56’N, 120°06.11’E, 22 Nov 2001, 736– 1040 m, 1 male cl 7.4 mm ( NTOU M02481 ) . Taiwan 2005, stn CP 300, 22°14.555’N, 119°58.719’E, 11 Aug 2005, 960– 972 m, 2 males cl 8.0, 9.0 mm ( NTOU M02482 ) . Taiwan 2006, stn PCP 342, 22°16.648’N, 119°59.960’E, 8 Mar 2006, 988– 1010 m, 2 males cl 5.6, 7.4 mm ( NTOU M01908 ) .

Diagnosis. Rostrum straight or slightly upturned, reaching distal margin of first segment of antennular peduncle; dorsal margin armed with 8–11 small teeth along entire margin; ventral margin with 1–3 small teeth on distal half; ventrolateral ridge unarmed or with 1 small tooth. Carapace glabrous; epigastri, gastric and anterolateral regions scattered with many spinules; antennal spine small; cervical groove distinct. Antennal scale subquadrangular, with 5–8 spines on lateral margin; antennal basicerite with 1 large lateral spine in females, 2 or 3 large lateral spines in males. Eye well-developed, but cornea not pigmented. Third pereiopod with ischium unarmed, almost equal in length to carpus; merus slightly shorter than palm; palm longer than other segments; tips of fingers strongly curved; cutting edge of dactylus forming chitinous ridge, with 1 stout tooth near midlength; fixed finger with row of 3–5 teeth on disto-dorsal margin. Pleon glabrous; first pleonite compact, divided into 2 sections by distinct transverse carina; second and third pleonites anteriorly with shallow transverse dorsal groove. Second to fourth pleura each with large basal articular knob and broadly rounded ventral margin. Fifth pleuron armed with 1 or 2 teeth on ventral margin. Sixth pleonite with median longitudinal row of 2–4 spinules flanked by 1 or 2 small spinules on either side. Telson quadrangular, with 2 dorsolateral carinae each with 6–9 large spines. Uropods with ovate endopod, shorter than telson, dorsal surface with median and submedian carinae; exopod broader than endopod, lateral margin serrated.

Coloration. Body whitish translucent overall. Cornea unpigmented and with golden reflections.

Distribution. Restricted to Japan (Ryukyu Islands) and Taiwan, at depths of 638–1051 m.

Remarks. Spongicoloides iheyaensis was heretofore known only from the Iheya Ridge, Okinawa Trough ( Saito et al. 2006). One of the present specimens (NTOU M01908 ) was listed in a molecular work by Chen et al. (2016: table 1). The Taiwanese material extends its geographical distribution and shallowest vertical range from the depth of 988 to 638 m. Spongicoloides iheyaensis closely resembles S. zhoui Zhao, Xu, Yang & Qiu, 2021 from the South China Sea ( Zhao et al. 2021). They can be readily separated from congeners by the third pereiopod bearing teeth on the disto-dorsal margin of the fixed finger but is unarmed on the ischium. These two species mainly differ in the numbers of lateral spines on the antennal basicerite in females (1 in S. iheyaensis vs. 3 in S. zhoui ) and disto-dorsal teeth at the fixed finger of the third pereiopod (3–9 in S. iheyaensis vs. 1–4 in S. zhoui , see Zhao et al. 2021).

Figures

FIGURE 5. Spongicoloides iheyaensis Saito, Tsuchida & Yamamoto, 2006, Taiwan 2001, stn CD 134, male cl 7.4 mm (NTOU M02481).A, carapace, right lateral view; B, pleon, right lateral view; C, telson and uropods, dorsal view (setae omitted); D, right third pereiopod and fingers of chela, lateral view. Scale bars: 1.0 mm.

FIGURE 6.A, SpongicolaandamanicusAlcock,1901,Taiwan 2000, stn CP 45, female cl 3.5 mm (NTOU M02476).B, Spongicola goyi Saito & Komai, 2008, R.V. Ocean Researcher 1, cruise 1135, stn CST 12, ovig. female cl 4.8 mm (NTOU M02478). C, Spongicoloides iheyaensis Saito, Tsuchida & Yamamoto, 2006, Taiwan 2006, stn PCP 342, male cl 5.6 mm (NTOU M01908).