Podocallichirus obesulus, Miers, 1884

Al-Kandari, Manal, Anker, Arthur, Hussain, Sumaiah, Al-Yassen, Sharifa, Sattari, Zainab & Grave, Sammy De, 2020, New records of decapod crustaceans from Kuwait (Malacostraca: Decapoda), Zootaxa 4803 (2), pp. 251-280 : 274

Polyonyx obesulus Miers, 1884

( Fig. 15 )

Polyonyx obesulus Miers, 1884: 272 , pl. 29, fig. D; Haig 1966: 61; Naderloo & Türkay 2012: 22.

Polyonyx parvidens Nobili, 1906a: 161 .

Polyonyx paucidens.— Nobili 1906b: 70, pl. 5, fig. 16 [lapsus calami for P. parvidens Nobili, 1906 ].

Material examined. Kuwait: 1 male, MNHN-IU-2019-3186, Failaka Island , rocky intertidal with muddy pools, low tide, in yellow sponge, leg. S. Chelakkan, 12.ii.2020 (fcn FA-019) .

General distribution. Indo-West Pacific, ranging from the Arabian Gulf ( Iran, Kuwait, UAE) to Japan, Australia and New Caledonia ( Osawa & Chan 2010; Naderloo & Türkay 2012).

Ecology. Intertidal and subtidal, down to 55 m; frequently in sponges ( Fig. 15B ) and coral crevices, in the latter case presumably associated with cryptic sponges ( Osawa & Chan 2010); the single specimen from Failaka was found in the same yellow sponge as several individuals of U. octoceras (see above).

Remarks. As pointed out by Osawa & Chan (2010), the taxonomy of P. obesulus is somewhat problematic and a revision of the species is necessary. In this context, the taxonomic status of P. parvidens , originally described from the Arabian Gulf ( Nobili 1906a, b) and later synonimised with P. obesulus , may need a reassessment. Nevertheless, the colour pattern of the Kuwaiti specimen corresponds fairly well to that of the Taiwanese specimen in Osawa & Chan (2010). The species seems to be relatively common in the Arabian Gulf, but is herein recorded for the first time from Kuwait.

Figures

FIGURE 15. Polyonyx obesulus Miers, 1884: A—male from Failaka Island, Kuwait (MNHN-IU-2019-3186), dorsal view; B—same, with partly opened host sponge, frontodorsal view. Photographs by A. Anker.