Eriphia ferox, Koh & Ng, 2008

Koh, S. K. & Ng, Peter K. L., 2008, A Revision Of The Shore Crabs Of The Genus Eriphia (Crustacea: Brachyura: Eriphiidae), Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 56 (2), pp. 327-355 : 345-348

Eriphia ferox , new species

( Figs. 16 , 17 , 19A )

Eriphia smithii Dana, 1852b: 251 ; Stimpson, 1858: 37; Stimpson, 1907: 72; A. Milne-Edwards, 1868: 71; Lundoer, 1974: 7; Sakai, 1976: 478, Pl. 172, Fig. 3 . – Takeda, 1978: 40; Miyake, 1983: 131, Pl. 44 Fig. 3 ; Lai et al., 1997: 230, Fig. 7C ; Ng, 1998: 1104, 1106; Ng et al., 2001: 23. (not E. smithii MacLeay, 1838 ).

Eriphia laevimana smithii – Miers, 1880: 237; Miers, 1884: 517; Lanchester, 1900: 253; De Man, 1929: 2; Gordon, 1931: 528; Sakai, 1939: 523, Text-Fig. 49, Pl. 94, Fig. 4; Sakai, 1953: 75; Chang, 1963: 5.

Eriphia laevimana smithii – Shen, 1940: 86.

Eriphia smithi – Dai et al., 1986: 332, Pl. 47(8), Fig. 174 (3); Dai & Yang, 1991: 356, Pl. 47(8), Fig. 174 (3).

Eriphia sebana smithii – Rathbun, 1910a: 359; Urita, 1926: 16; Serène, 1966: 6.

Material examined. – Holotype: male (47.3 × 66.0 mm) ( ZRC 1999.1001 ), rocks off Salu Island , Singapore, coll. 10 Dec.1970 . Paratypes: SINGAPORE: 1 male (40.2 × 55.6 mm) ( ZRC 1965.11.17.39), Pasir Panjang; 1 female (34.5 × 47.4 mm) ( ZRC 1965.11.17.40), Pisang Island Lighthouse, coll. 1934; 1 male (24.3 × 34.5 mm) ( ZRC 1965.11.17.60), Sultan Shoal, coll. M. W. F. Tweedie, Dec.1933; 1 juvenile (16.9 × 23.4 mm), 3 females (42.7–35.2 × 60.0– 49.2 mm), 1 ovigerous female (26.5 × 36.4 mm) ( ZRC 1965.11.17.72–76), Pawai Island reef, coll. M. W. F. Tweedie, Nov.1933; 1 male (36.4 × 50.5 mm) ( ZRC 1965.11.17.79), Biola Island , near Raffles Lighthouse , coll. 17 Aug.1930; 1 ovigerous female (35.7 × 48.9) ( ZRC 1981.8.14.152), no data; 1 male (26.4 × 36.4 mm) ( ZRC 1985.1165 ), Sudong Island reef flat, coll. A. Serle, 16 Mar.1953; 1 ovigerous female (40.0 × 55.4 mm) ( ZRC 1985.1168 ), Raffles Lighthouse , coll. D. S. Johnson, 6 Mar.1955; 1 female (43.9 × 62.9 mm), 1 ovigerous female (38.2 × 51.5 mm) ( ZRC 1985.1169 – 1170 ), Raffles Lighthouse , under rocks, coll. J. R. Henderson, Jul.1952; 1 female (40.5 × 56.9 mm) ( ZRC 1985.1171 ), Raffles Lighthouse , mid tide pool, coll. 1 Jul.1954; 1 male (40.3 × 55.8 mm) ( ZRC 1989.2973 ), Sentosa reefs, coll. P. K. L. Ng, 1988; 1 female (31.9 × 44.5 mm) ( ZRC 1993.260 ), Labrador Beach , coll. P. K. L. Ng, Mar.1987; 1 male (34.5 × 48.2 mm) ( ZRC 1993.6909 ), Semakau Island , gill net, coll. REST group, 7 Sep.1993; 2 females (35.8 × 49.5 mm, 35.2 × 48.0 mm), 1 female (27.6 × 38.4 mm) ( ZRC 1993.6961 ), Semakau Island , coll. REST group, 7 Sep.1993; 1 female (40.8 × 55.5 mm) ( ZRC 1999.0301 ), Cyrene Reefs , coll. D. C. J. Yeo & S. H. Tan, 19 May 1999; 1 male (32.5 × 44.6 mm) ( ZRC 1999.1002 ), Labrador Beach, coll. S. H. Tan, 5 Nov.1998; 1 ovigerous female (35.7 × 52.9 mm) ( ZRC 1999.1003 ), Seringat Island , coll. S. Teo, 21 Aug.1997; 1 ovigerous female (42.2 × 57.6 mm) ( ZRC 1999.1005 ), Labrador Beach. Others : SINGAPORE: 2 females (55.1–54.0 × 38.5– 37.7mm) ( ZRC 1999.1004 ), P. Seringat, coll. H. K. Lua et al., 23 Jul.1997; 4 males (39.6–38.5 × 55.0– 52.7 mm), 3 females (32.4–21.3 × 44.8– 30.5 mm) ( ZRC 1999.1006 ); 1 ovigerous female (37.0 × 51.3 mm) ( ZRC 1999.1007 ), off Singapore; 1 male (33.2 × 46.2 mm), 2 females (29.0 × 40.1 mm, damaged) ( ZRC 1999.1016 ); 1 female (33.7 × 47.5 mm), 1 ovigerous female (32.7 × 47.3 mm) ( ZRC 1996.1928 ), in rock holes, just above water level at low tide; 1 male (27.8 × 38.3 mm), 1 female (33.3 × 46.2 mm) ( ZRC 1985.1172 – 1173 ) ; MALAYSIA: 1 male (34.0 × 47.9 mm), 2 juveniles (10.8–9.3 × 15.6– 13.1 mm) ( ZRC 1965.11.17.61–66); 1 male (29.6 × 40.5 mm), 1 female (23.5 × 32.9 mm) ( ZRC 1965.11.17.67–68), South China Sea, Tioman Island , Telok Bunga, coll. N. Smedley, May 1907; 1 female (36.2 × 49.8 mm) ( ZRC 1965.11.17.69) , Malacca Strait, Pisang Island, coll. M. W. F. Tweedie, Jan.1934; 2 females (34.0 × 47.2 mm, 32.2 × 42.2 mm) ( ZRC 1965.11.17.70–71), South China Sea, Aor Island, coll. M. W. F. Tweedie, Jun.1938; 1 male (38.9 × 52.5 mm), 1 female (41.4 by 56.7 × 41.4 mm) ( ZRC 1965.11.17.77–78), South China Sea, Tioman Island, Telok Bunga, coll. N. Smedley, May 1907. 2 males (13.9–14.0 × 18.7–19.9 mm), 2 females (16.9–29.1 × 24.1–41.2 mm) ( ZRC 1999.1041 ), Tioman Island , Paya Beach, coll. 24 Jun.1999; 1 female (28.5 × 38.6 mm) ( ZRC 1985.1166 ) , Sarawak, Talang Island , Talang Besar, coral reef, low tide, coll. J. R. Henderson, 16 Mar.1953; 1 male (26.9 × 37.5 mm) ( ZRC 1985.1167 ) , Sarawak, Talang Island, Talang Besar, beach, coll. J. R. Henderson, Aug.1952; 1 female (36.5 × 50.3 mm) ( ZRC 1985.1175 ), South China Sea, northern Babi Island, coll. 15 Mar.1957; 1 male (28.5 × 39.8 mm), 4 females (38.5–27.9 × 53.7–38.0 mm) ( ZRC 1996.1913 ), Chandering, Kuala Trengganu, rocky beach, coll. 28 Apr.1967; 1 female (38.5 × 52.4 mm) ( ZRC 1996.2628 ), Redang Island, coll. Oct.1950; 1 female (35.5 × 50.2 mm) ( ZRC 1997.686 ), Johore, Tanjong Balau, coll. K. S. Tan, 21 May 1991; 1 male (23.5 × 33.3 mm) ( ZRC 1999.1013 ), Perak, Rumbia Island , off Bagon Datok, coll. K. Lim, 9–12 Jun.1994; 1 male (31.8 × 44.2 mm), 4 females (35.1–23.8 × 48.2– 33.1 mm) ( ZRC 1999.1015 ), Pemalang Island , coll. 14 Dec.1974 . INDONESIA: 2 males (36.0–21.1 × 50.0– 30.4 mm), 1 female (28.6 × 48.0 mm) ( ZRC 1996.1905 ), Sumatra, Bintan Island, Tanjong Tondang, coll. Hon. Class 95, Jun.1995; 1 female (39.7 × 55.5 mm) ( ZRC 1989.2883 ), Batam Island, Riau Archipelago, coll. S. Giam, 10 Apr.1989; 1 male (19.7 × 28.0 mm), 1 female (26.1 × 35.9 mm) ( ZRC 1999.1014 ), northern Bintan Island, Lagois , coll. P. K. L. Ng et al., May 1993 . THAILAND: 1 male (26.5 × 36.1 mm) ( ZRC 1999.1011 ), Rayong Province, Pan Phe, coll. 18 Jul.1970; 1 female ( ZMUC), south of Koh Chang island, Gulf of Thailand, coll. Th. Mortensen, 8 Jan.1900; 1 male (32.1 × 43.4 mm) ( ZRC 1999.1010 ), Phuket, coll. P. K. L. Ng, 1998. INDO-CHINA: 1 male ( BPBM 6234 ), coll. Jan.1956, no other data . TAIWAN: 1 female (31.7 × 51.7 mm) ( ZRC 1999.1008 ), Hsinshu, Hi Shan Chuan Ao, coll. 20 Oct.1996; 1 female (22.6 × 31.5 mm), 2 females (31.7–27.1 × 44.3– 37.3mm) ( ZRC 1999.1009 ), Taipei County, Lai Lai , coll. H. C. Liu, 2 May 1996. MAINLAND CHINA: 1 ovigerous female (26.2 × 35.9 mm) ( ZRC 1999.1012 ), Hainan island, coll. 11 Jun.1957; 1 male ( ZMUC). NO DATA: 1 male (38.3 × 53.0 mm) ( ZRC 1985.1174 ), probably Singapore, coll. D. S. Johnson, 15 Oct.1954 .

Type locality. – Singapore .

Diagnosis. – Carapace hexagonal, dorsal surface tuberculated anteriorly, tubercles acute, sharp; minutely granulated posteriorly. Gastric region with acute tubercles covering most of the protogastric and anterior hepatic region. Front with six or seven denticles on each side of the notch, randomly arranged. Orbits denticulated, almost spiniform; two external and an internal spines present; supraorbital margin with two longitudinal fissures, infraorbital margin with two longitudinal fissures. Anterolateral margin convex, with five or six spines, decreasing in size towards posterior, spines acute, sharp, first anterolateral spine bispinate. Third maxilliped surface granulated, pubescent with tufts of setae. Pterygostomial region minutely granulated. Acute tubercles on suborbital region. Surface of chelipeds pubescent, tuberculated to varying degrees; major chela less tuberculated compared to minor chela, tubercles acute, sharp; denticles present at ventral margin of basis-ischium and merus; carpus tuberculated, with prominent acute spine on distal inner margin and one or two smaller ones on ventral surface; fingers short, stout, darkly pigmented. Surfaces of ambulatory leg smooth, pubescent on last three segments; merus with occasional setae at proximal end. Anterior male thoracic sternum pubescent, minutely tuberculated anteriorly. G1 short, subcylindrical, sinuous distally, tapered distally, spinules at one-fourth length of G1 along inner edge, with pubescence after spinules.

Description. – Carapace hexagonal; dorsal surface slightly convex, tuberculated anteriorly, tubercles acute, sharp, minutely granulated posteriorly. Regions well defined. Protogastric region tuberculated almost to posterior portion. Front notched medially, V-shaped; each side with six or seven denticles, arranged randomly. Orbit denticulated, almost spiniform; two external and an internal orbital spines present; supraorbital margin with two longitudinal fissures, infraorbital margin with two longitudinal fissures. Anterolateral margin convex with five or six acute spines, decreasing in size towards posterior end. Posterolateral margin longer than anterolateral margin, minutely granulated. Third maxilliped surface minutely granulated, slightly pubescent. Pterygostomial region not pubescent, minutely granulated. Suborbital region tuberculated, especially near antennules, endostome region and distal part of exopod of third maxilliped.

Chelipeds asymmetrical, surfaces pubescent, tuberculated to varying degrees. Denticles present along ventral margin of basis-ischium and merus. Merus pubescent, denticulated anteriorly; surfaces minutely tuberculated near anterior region. Carpus entirely tuberculated, with prominent acute spine at distal inner margin, with one or two smaller ones on the ventral surface, few tubercules may be present in between. Chela relatively short, stout, tuberculated. Tuberculation rounded or acute. Cutting edges of minor chela denticulated while those of major chela with a basal tooth on propodus and dactylus. Pubescence on inner cutting edge arranged in tufts.

Ambulatory legs surface smooth. Merus tuberculated anteriorly, almost naked except for some setae at distal anterior and posterior margin.

Anterior male thoracic sternum pubescent, minutely tuberculated anteriorly. G1 short, subcylindrical, sinuous at distal end, tapered towards tip, spinules at one fourth length of G1 at inner edge, with pubescence after spinules. G2 longer, much slender than G1; distal part shorter than the subdistal part.

Remarks. – The tuberculation on both chelipeds to many authors (see Sakai, 1934; 1976; Dai & Yang, 1991) has always traditionally been the most distinctive character to identify E. smithii MacLeay, 1838 . Its use is so prevalent that all other characters have been overlooked. As discussed under E. sebana , it is an unreliable character to separate E. sebana and E. smithii . Eriphia smithii MacLeay, 1838 , since its original description, has been reported from many locations, e.g. by Dana (1852b) from Singapore, Stimpson (1858) from Hong Kong, Sakai (1934) from Japan and Shen (1940) from China. On the basis of the presence of tuberculations on the outer surface of both chelae, they identified their specimens as E. smithii MacLeay, 1838 (see also Ng, 1998).

Examination of a good series of “ Eriphia smithii ” from the Sunda Shelf and western Pacific shows that there are quite different from MacLeay’s (1838) E. smithii . As such, they are here described as new, Eriphia ferox . Although the two species closely resemble each other superficially, they differ in the following aspects.

Most distinctively, the G1s of both species are quite different in shape. The G1 of E. smithii is more slender, sinuous distally, usually tapered towards the distal end, with the outer margin of the basal part appearing more shelf-like ( Fig. 15A, B, E, H, I ); whereas that of E. ferox is stouter, straighter, more tubular, and the outer margin of the basal part is a gradual slope, without any trace of a shelf ( Fig. 17A, B ). The tuberculation on the carapace and chelipeds of E. ferox is always acute and sharp. On the other hand, the tuberculation on E. smithii is blunt and low on the carapace and major chela, while that on the minor chela is acute but never sharp. The anterolateral spines in E. ferox are acute and sharp, the first anterolateral spine being bispinate while in E. smithii , the first two anterolateral spines are relatively acute, the rest that follow are blunt and low, almost like tubercles, and the first anterolateral spine may or may not be bispinate. The pubescence present on the chelipeds of E. ferox is always distinct but is absent in E. smithii .

The G1 of E. ferox resembles closely that of E. sebana . Both G1s are tapered towards the tip, sinuous at the distal end and has spinules on the distal part. Although the number of spinules differs in both species, it is not a consistent character for younger male specimens, whereas there are fewer spinules. Diagnostically, E. sebana has a prominent external spine on each side of the frontal margin and a dense row of long setae on the anterior meral segment of each ambulatory leg. Eriphia ferox lacks these two features, with no external frontal spine and no dense pubescence on the anterior margin of the ambulatory leg merus except for the occasional short setae proximally.

In E. ferox , the tuberculation remains prominent in all stages. The major chela is sparsely tuberculated as compared to the minor chela but the tubercles remain acute. The distribution of pubescence is uniform on both chela and carapace. The fingers of both chelae are always darkly pigmented.

On the basis of the published literature and specimens on hand, we believe that E. ferox has a wide distribution, ranging from the eastern Indian Ocean through to the Sunda Shelf and western Pacific. It is not yet known from Australia.

Distribution. – South China Sea, from north such as Japan, Taiwan, China to Thailand (Rayong Province), Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and Sarawak.

Etymology. – The word ‘ ferox ’ means “fierce’ in Latin and describes the behaviour of this crab, aggressive, often stretching out its chelipeds when threatened.

Figures

Fig.16. Eriphia ferox, new species.Holotype male, 47.3 × 66.0 mm, ZRC 1999.1001: A, dorsal view; B, frontal view; C, chelipeds.

Fig. 17. Eriphia ferox, new species. Holotype male, 47.3 × 66.0 mm, ZRC 1999.1001: A, G1; B, distal part of G1; C, G2. Scale bars = 1.0 mm.

Fig. 19. Last ambulatory legs: A, Eriphia ferox, new species, holotype male, 47.3 × 66.0mm, ZRC 1999.1001; B, E. sebana (Shaw & Nodder, 1803), neotype male, 38.5 × 53.8 mm, ZRC 1999.1020.

Fig. 3. Gonopods: A–C, Eriphia verrucosa (Forskål, 1775), male, 50.6 × 60.4 mm, USNM 152249. D–F, E. gonagra (Fabricius, 1781), male, 26.0 × 18.7 mm, NHM 1887.23: A, D, G1s; B, E, distal part of G1s; C, F, G2s. Scale bars = 1.0 mm.

Fig. 7. Gonopods: A–C, Eriphia squamata Stimpson, 1859, male, 29.9 × 40.9 mm, USNM 17787; D–G, E. granulosa A. Milne-Edwards, 1880, male, 10.0 × 14.9 mm, USNM 78218. A, D, F, G1s; B, E, distal part of G1s; C, G, G2s. Scale bars = 1.0 mm.

Fig. 15. Eriphia smithii MacLeay, 1838, male, 24.3 × 33.2 mm, ZRC 2000.10: A–D; SAM-A 15414, 36.1 × 47.4 mm, male: H, I; ZMUC, 34.2 × 26.0 mm: E–G,. A, B, E, H, I, G1s (H, I setae not drawn); C, F, distal part of G1s; D, G, G2s. Scale bars = 1.0 mm.