Trapezionida leptitis (Macpherson, 1994)

Macpherson, Enrique, Rodriguez-Flores, Paula C. & Machordom, Annie, 2024, DNA barcoding and morphology revealed the existence of seven new species of squat lobsters in the family Munididae (Decapoda, Galatheoidea) in the southwestern Pacific, ZooKeys 1188, pp. 91-123 : 91

Trapezionida leptitis (Macpherson, 1994)

Munida leptitis Macpherson 1994: 487, fig. 27. - Baba 2005: 267 (in part). - Macpherson 2006: 318 (in part). - Baba et al. 2008: 104 (in part). - Baba et al. 2009: 171, figs 151-152. - Macpherson 2013: 301 (in part).

Trapezionida leptitis : Machordom et al. 2022: table 2, suppl. figs S1-S6.

Material.

Holotype: New Caledonia, Loyalty Islands, Musorstom 6 Stn DW 431, 18 February 1989, 20°22.25'S, 166°10'E, 21 m: female, 3.4 mm (MNHN-IU-2014-10854 (= MNHN Ga2810) . Paratype: New Caledonia, Loyalty Islands, Musorstom 6 Stn DW 392, 13 February 1989, 20°47.32'S, 167°04.60'E, 340 m: 1 ovigerous female, 4.4 mm (MNHN-IU-2017-8971) . French Polynesia, Tarasoc Stn DW 3413, 13 October 2009, 16°34'S, 151°46'W, 385-486 m: 2 males, 4.5-6.0 mm, 4 ovigerous females, 4.0- 5.2 mm, 1 female, broken (MNHN-IU-2010-5816), 1 ovigerous female, 5.3 mm (MNHN-IU-2016-520). - Lifou 2000 Stn 1650, 15/ 18 November 2000, 20°54.15'S, 167°01.7'E, 120-250 m: 2 female, 2.5-3.4 mm (MNHN-IU-2016-519). - Stn 1442, 13-14 November 2000, 20°46.4'S, 167°02'E, 47 m: 1 ovigerous female, 4.2 mm (MNHN-IU-2014-13820) .

Colour in life

(from Baba et al. 2009). Ground colour of body and appendages orange. P1 with numerous red spots, mesial borders of articles darker than lateral margins; proximal half of fingers whitish, distal half reddish, tips white. P2-P4 scattered with red spots; dactyli whitish.

Genetic data.

COI, 16S.

Remarks.

This species has been cited in numerous localities from the West and Central Pacific. However, as it was mentioned in previous papers (see above) some slight morphological differences among specimens from different areas were observed, suggesting the existence of a complex of species. Therefore, after the morphological and molecular revision of the material from the different areas, we have confirmed the existence of two species (see below in the Remarks of T. pulex sp. nov.).

Distribution.

The species has been collected in New Caledonia, French Polynesia and Taiwan. The depth range of the specimens examined is 21- 486 m.