Nikoides maldivensis Borradaile, 1915

Grave, Sammy De & Anker, Arthur, 2013, New records of processid shrimps from the Indo-West and East Pacific (Crustacea: Decapoda), Zootaxa 3640 (2), pp. 224-241 : 231-233

Nikoides maldivensis Borradaile, 1915

Fig. 4

Nikoides maldivensis Borradaile, 1915: 209 .—Borradaile, 1917: 411, pl. 58, fig. 11.—Hayashi, 1975: 62, fig. 5—Chace, 1997: 36.

Processa jacobsoni De Man, 1921: 95 .

Material examined. Mariana Islands: 1 ov. female (pocl 6.1), FLMNH UF 4125, Guam, Tepungan Channel tunnel, 13.4646 144.688, 0–4 m, leg. G. Paulay, 16.06.2003 [BGUAM-106]; 1 ov. female (pocl 8.2), FLMNH UF 4194, Guam, Tepungan Channel tunnel, 13.4646 144.688, 0–4 m, leg. G. Paulay, 16.06.2003 [BGUAM-106]. French Polynesia: 1 male (pocl 4.5), FLMNH UF 23270, Moorea, Atiha Bay, inside barrier reef, near pass channel, -17.5957 -149.8456, under and on rocks and rubble, hand collecting, leg. S. McPherson, G. Paulay & C. Meyer, 0 8.12.2009 [BMOO-9974]; 1 female (pocl 5.0), FLMNH UF 23274, Moorea, NW Motu Islands, in channel between two islands, rubble field in shallow lagoon, -17.4893 -149.9132, under large boulders, 0.5–2 m, hand collecting, leg. S. McPherson, J. Houder & A. Crowther, 25.11.2009 [BMOO-9278]; 1 ov. female (pocl 7.6), FLMNH UF 23276, Moorea, lagoon in front and west of Hilton Hotel, -17.4823 -149.825, under rocks and on ledges, 10–15 m, leg. G. Paulay, C. Meyer, S. McPherson, S. Haddock, M. Parker & S. McKeon, 22.10.2009 [BMOO-6503]. Australia: 1 female (pocl 3.6), ZRC 2012.0976, Christmas Island, Flying Fish Cove, -10.429152 105.669210, reef slope, night dive, leg. H.H. Tan et al., 0 1.02.2010 [CI-D17(152)].

Colour pattern. Bright yellow-orange, resulting from small reddish chromatophores on semitransparent yellow background, irregular white chromatophores forming short, dorsal, transverse bands on abdomen, sometimes connected by thin longitudinal line of white chromatophores, and larger or smaller patches and spots elsewhere on abdomen and on carapace; antennular peduncles yellow with bright white spots; third maxilliped reddish-orange with conspicuous white patches; pereiopods mostly uniform yellow; tail fan yellow densely covered with large areas of white chromatophores ( Fig. 4 ).

Remarks. Chace (1997) clarified the type locality of N. maldivensis as Amirante Island, Seychelles (as stated in Borradaile 1917), with the “ Maldive Islands ” as cited in Borradaile (1915) being in error. The present material presents no particular features, with the large dorsal tooth separated from the rostral apex being highly diagnostic for the species. The colour pattern of N. maldivensis also seems to be very characteristic, as the Moorea specimens ( Fig. 4 ) match the colour photo in Minemizu (2013).

Ecology. This species appears to be restricted to coral reefs and adjacent rubble fields, usually dwelling in crevices of coral rubble and dead coral heads or under large rocks, and roaming on the reef or dock walls and ledges at night. It appears to prefer very shallow water, with a depth range of 0– 4 m.

Distribution. The species has a wide distribution in the Indo-West Pacific, based on previous records from Kenya, Seychelles (Amirante, Farquhar Atoll), Indonesia (Sumatra), Micronesia (Pohnpei), Samoa, and Hawaii (Hayashi 1975; Chace 1997) and is here recorded for the first time from Guam, Christmas Island and French Polynesia. Chace (1997) also mentioned Fiji and Caroline Islands as part of the distribution of N. maldivensis , but it is unclear on which material these records were based.

Figures

FIGURE 4. Nikoides maldivensis Borradaile, 1915. A, ov. female, dorsal view, Moorea (FLMNH UF 23276); B, same specimen, lateral view; C, male, dorsal view, Moorea (FLMNH UF 23270).