Munidopsis ceres, Published, 2007

Published, First, 2007, Species of the genus Munidopsis Whiteaves, 1784 from the Indian and Pacific Oceans and reestablishment of the genus Galacantha A. Milne-Edwards, 1880 (Crustacea, Decapoda, Galatheidae), Zootaxa 1417, pp. 1-135 : 50-53

Munidopsis ceres n. sp.

( Figs. 24, 25, 55F)

Material examined. New Caledonia, MUSORSTOM 4, Stn 221, 535– 560 m: 1 M 9.0 mm (MNHN-Ga5534). CHALCAL 2, Stn 72, 527 m: 1 ovig. F 10.0 mm (MNHN-Ga5535). NORFOLK 2, Stn 2111, 500- 1074 m: 1 M 12.4 mm, 1 ovig. F 11.1 mm (MNHN-Ga5550) .

Types. The ovigerous female of 10.0 mm from CHALCAL 2, Stn 72 is the holotype (MNHN-Ga5535). The other specimens are paratypes.

Etymology. The species is dedicated to Ceres, the Roman goddess of grains and agriculture, in reference to the granulate aspect of the carapace. The name is considered as a substantive in apposition.

Description. Carapace as long as broad; dorsal surface moderately convex from side to side, sparsely covered with tubercles and nearly devoid of setae; cervical groove moderately distinct, regions well defined, gastric and cardiac regions more convex than branchial regions. Gastric region with pair of large epigastric processes. Cardiac region triangular, preceded by deep transverse groove. Rostrum broad, nearly horizontal or deflexed in lateral view, 0.3 length of remaining carapace, apex blunt, maximum width one-quarter carapace breadth; lateral margins strongly concave in proximal half; dorsal surface slightly convex, with numerous granules, and carinate in midline. Frontal margin concavely transverse behind ocular peduncle, leading to slightly produced process behind antennal peduncle, then concavely transverse toward anterolateral corner of carapace; lateral margins weakly convex, anterolateral corner produced into a large spine followed by 3 large acute processes, first 2 between ends of each anterior and posterior branches of cervical groove and third one behind end of posterior branch. Posterior margin preceded by elevated granulated ridge.

Pterygostomian flap with numerous granules, anteriorly angular.

Sternum as long as wide, maximum width at sternite 7; sternites 3 and 4 with numerous short striae, sternite 3 moderately broad, bilobate, separated by notch, about 3 times wider than long; lateral margin of each lobe convex; sternite 4 about 3.5 times wider than sternite 3.

Abdomen with numerous small protuberances on transverse ridges and pleura; segments 2ñ4 each with elevated transverse ridge, blunty produced medialy, and followed by transverse groove; segments 5–6 lacking such ridges and covered with small granules; segment 6 with weakly produced posterolateral lobes and nearly transverse posteromedian margin. Telson composed of 8 plates; posterior plates combined more than 1.5 times as wide as long.

Ocular peduncle fixed, without eye-spine; surface with small protuberances; semicircular cornea cupped within broad-base eyestalk, broader than third antennal segment. Distinct thick spine ventral to front margin between ocular and antennal peduncles.

Basal article of antennular peduncle with strong dorsolateral and distolateral spines; distomesial margin produced, bearing small granules but no spine.

Antennal peduncle overreaching tip of cornea; article 1 with strong distomesial process barely reaching distal margin of article 2, distolateral margin produced; article 2 with blunt distolateral spine, distomesial angle slightly produced; article 3 with blunt distomesial process; article 4 unarmed.

Mxp 3 ischium granulated, as long as merus measured on extensor margin, flexor margin ridged, terminating in small blunt spine; 20 or 21 denticles along crista dentata. Merus with numerous granules on lateral surface, flexor margin with 2 strong spines, extensor margin produced. Carpus slightly crenulated on extensor surface.

P1 subequal, more than 2.5 times carapace length, covered with numerous small protuberances and granules on merus to dactylus, and some setae more dense on fingers. Merus 1.7 times length of carpus, with a few distal blunt spines, several protuberances along mesial margin. Carpus 1.7 times longer than high, with several distal blunt spines. Palm slender, nearly 1.5 length of carpus, 1.3 (females) and 2.0 (males) times as long as high measured at bases of fingers. Fingers 0.7 times length of palm, opposable margins nearly straight, not gaping, distally spooned; fixed finger without distolateral carina.

P2–P4 moderately stout, nearly devoid of setae, about 1.5 times carapace length, somewhat compressed laterally, decreasing in size posteriorly; P2 longest, barely reaching end of P1 carpus. P2 merus nearly half carapace length, about twice as long as high, 1.5 times length of carpus and 1.3 times length of propodus, dorsal margin cristate with 3 or 4 spines and some granules, ventral margin with some produced striae; carpus with one prominent blunt spine and some smaller spines along dorsal margin, lateral crest with granules, some additional granules on mesial side; propodus 3 times as long as high, and slightly longer than dactylus, with some large granules on mesial and lateral sides, flexor margin unarmed; dactylus with terminal claw short, moderately curved, surface smooth, ventral margin nearly straight, with 16 minute teeth decreasing in sizes proximally, each with slender corneous spine, ultimate spine closer to penultimate spine rather than end of article. Length of P4 merus 0.8 times that of P2.

Epipods on P1–P3.

Colour. General colour of body and pereiopods red.

Remarks. The new species is closely related to M. papanui Schnabel & Bruce, 2006 from New Zealand. Both species have the dorsal surface of the carapace, abdomen and pereiopods armed with numerous granules and tubercles and a blunt median process on the abdominal tergites 2 and 3. However, the following characters can differentiate them:

— The lateral margins of rostrum are proximally concave in M. ceres , but uniformly convergent in M. papanui .

— The lateral margin of basal article of antennular peduncle bears some stout spines in M. papanui , whereas these spines are absent in the new species.

— The merus of Mxp 3 bears three strong spines on the flexor border, instead of two spines in M. ceres .

— The mesial margin of the merus to palm of P1 bears numerous spines in M. papanui , but relatively few in M. ceres . Furthermore, the P1 is clearly more slender in M. papanui than in M. ceres .

— The P2–P4 are stouter in M. ceres than in M. papanui . P2 merus is three times longer than high in M. papanui , being twice longer in the new species. Spines along the dorsal margin of merus are thicker in M. ceres than in M. papanui .

Distribution. New Caledonia, between 500 and 1074 m.