Macrobrachium inflatum Liang & Yan, 1985

Guo, Zhao-Liang & He, Shun-Lian, 2008, One new and four newly recorded species of the genus Macrobrachium (Decapoda: Caridea: Palaemoindae) from Guangdong Province, southern China, Zootaxa 1961 (1), pp. 11-25 : 21

Macrobrachium inflatum Liang & Yan, 1985 .

( Fig. 7D )

Macrobrachium inflatum Liang & Yan, 1985: 254 , fig. 3 [type locality: Kunshan County, Jiangsu Province, eastern China]; Liu et al., 1990: 107, fig. 5; Tan & Dong, 1996: 287; Cai & Dai, 1999: 223, fig. 8.

Material examined. 2 females, tl. 44.5–50.0 mm, cl. 13.0– 15.2 mm, 8 males, tl. 45.5–64.3 mm, cl. 15.0– 22.5 mm, Xijiang river near Foshan City, 14 August 2002 ; 3 females, tl. 38.2–52.0 mm, cl. 14.1–16.52 mm, 2 males, tl. 43.1–54.2 mm, cl. 16.0–23.0 mm, Xianxi reservoir near Foshan City, 1 June 2003 ; 4 females, tl. 38.2–55.3 mm, cl. 13.8–23.5 mm, 3 males, tl. 41.5–65.2 mm, cl. 16.2–23.7 mm, Longkou Town , Heshan City, 17 August 2003 ; 2 females, tl. 41.2–45.5 mm, cl. 14.2–15.7 mm, 2 males, tl. 43.0– 48.2 mm, cl. 16.2–18.3 mm, Laolong Twon , Longchuan Couty, 24 April 2004 ; 1 ovigerous female, tl. 46.2 mm, cl. 15.7 mm, 2 males, tl. 45.2–52.3 mm, cl. 17.1–19.2 mm, Shangshuai town , Lianshan County, 14 July 2004 .

Diagnosis. Rostrum extending beyond scaphocerite, distal part slightly curved upwards, rostral formula: 3–4 + 9–13/3–5, rl. about as long as cl. Cephalothorax, abdomen and telson smooth, without microspinules. Second pereiopods equal in both sexes, carpus and outer margin of palm covered with microspinules; fingers of male about as long as palm, fingers of female shorter (about 0.83–0.92) than palm, movable finger with 2 small denticles, fixed finger with a single denticle; carpus longer than palm, about 1.3–1.5 times as long as palm, palm distinctly swollen, 3.5–3.6 times as long as width; carpus about 1.4–1.5 times as long as merus; merus about 0.91 times as long as ischium. Egg size: 0.54–0.70 X 0.84–0.92 mm in diameter.

Live coloration. Body translucent, light green. Rostrum transparent to almost colorless. Cephalothorax with blue-black diagonal strips, abdomen with blue-black transverse strips. Second pereiopods with transversal yellow bands on merus and carpus. All joints of third to fifth pereiopods with transverse yellow bands. Eggs e yellow ( Fig. 7D ).

Remarks. The present material can be confidently assigned to M. inflatum due to the very inflated palm, the ratio of the segments of the male second pereiopods, the upturned rostrum and the rostral formula. Cai & Dai (1999) pointed out that M. inflatum was reported from Yunnan Province may be caused by human introduction. In recent years, we have however collected and examined numerous specimens of this species in various freshwater bodies from Hunan and Guangdong Province. It is usually found together with M. nipponense . Therefore this species may be naturally distributed in southeastern China. This is the first record of the species from Guangdong Province.

Distribution and habitat. Southeastern China (Jiangsu, Anhui, Hunan, Guangdong and Yunnan Provinces). This species is found in various freshwater bodies, such as ponds, rivers, lakes and reservoirs. It seeks shelter among aquatic vegetation.

Figures

FIGURE 7. A, M. heterorhynchos, preserved specimen, paratype, female (FSTC, 02–06–11–05). B, M. heterorhynchos, preserved specimen, holotype, male (FSTC, 02–06–11–01). C, M. formosense, living specimen, male. D, M. inflatum, living specimen, female. E, M. maculatum, living specimen, male.