Crocydocinus ewok, Lee & Forges & Ng, 2019

Lee, Bee Yan, Forges, Bertrand Richer De & Ng, Peter K. L., 2019, Deep-sea spider crabs of the family Epialtidae MacLeay, 1838, from Papua New Guinea, with a redefinition of Tunepugettia Ng, Komai & Sato, 2017, and descriptions of two new genera (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura: Majoidea), Zootaxa 4619 (1), pp. 1-44 : 25-27

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.4619.1.1
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:CA6AEB18-2F97-449C-AE34-E1509DFFC841
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03C9AC69-1E76-FFB0-649F-F9FFB1A4E827
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Crocydocinus ewok
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Crocydocinus ewok View in CoL n. sp.

( Figs. 10B View FIGURE 10 , 13A View FIGURE 13 , 15A View FIGURE 15 , 17A View FIGURE 17 , 18 View FIGURE 18 A–F)

Material examined. Holotype: male (22.5 × 15.0 mm) (MNHN-IU- 2011-2328), stn CP3714, Astrolabe Bay , Papua New Guinea, 05°20’S 145°51’E, 676–720 m, coll. BIOPAPUA, 5 October 2010 GoogleMaps . Paratypes; 1 male (15.2 × 9.9 mm) ( ZRC 2018.1495 View Materials , ex. MNHN-IU-2017-11840), same locality information as GoogleMaps Holotype.— 1 female (23.9 × 16.6 mm) ( ZRC 2018.1496 View Materials , ex. MNHN-IU-2011-3273), stn CP3714, Astrolabe Bay , Papua New Guinea, 05°20’S 145°51’E, 676–720 m, coll. BIOPAPUA, 5 October 2010 GoogleMaps . — 1 male (20.1 × 13.4 mm), 1 female (19.0 × 12.8 mm) ( ZRC 2018.1497 View Materials , ex. MNHN-IU-2013-7918), stn CP4026, Astrolabe Bay , Papua New Guinea, 05°22’S 145°51’E, 620–677 m, coll. PAPUA NIUGINI, 14 December 2012 GoogleMaps . — 1 male [photographed] (23.0 × 15.5 mm) (MNHN-IU- 2013-1524), stn CP4030, Cape Croisiles , Papua New Guinea, 04°53’S 145°49’E, 400–426 m, coll. PAPUA NIUGI- NI, 16 December 2012 GoogleMaps . — 1 male [photographed] (19.7 × 13.4 mm) (MNHN-IU-2013-1517), stn CP4032, Cape Croisiles , Papua New Guinea, 04°52’S 145°50’E, 610–620 m, coll. PAPUA NIUGINI, 16 December 2012 GoogleMaps . — 3 males (17.1 × 11.4 mm, 13.5 × 8.4 mm, 11.0 × 7.0 mm), 2 females (20.6 × 13.8 mm, 14.0 × 9.1 mm) (MNHN-IU- 2013-7919), stn CP4021, Astrolabe Bay , Papua New Guinea, 05°25’S 145°56’E, 500–870 m, coll. PAPUA NIUGI- NI, 13 December 2012 GoogleMaps . — 1 female (21.9 × 15.0 mm) (MNHN-IU-2013-1615), stn CP4081, Bismarck Sea , Basamuk Bay, 05°29’S 146°09’E, 700–860 m, coll. PAPUA NIUGINI, 26 December 2012 GoogleMaps . — 1 male [photographed] (13.3 × 9.0 mm) (MNHN-IU-2013-890), stn CP3959, west Sek Island, Papua New Guinea, 05°04’S 145°51’E, 582–587 m, coll. PAPUA NIUGINI, 28 November 2012 GoogleMaps

Diagnosis. Carapace pyriform with tomentum of setae, with long tufts of setae along edge of gastric region ( Fig. 10B View FIGURE 10 ). Pseudorostral spines straight, diverging in V ( Figs. 10B View FIGURE 10 , 13A View FIGURE 13 ). Post-orbital lobe fused with hepatic lobe forming plate-like protrusion, thin plate protruding outwards ( Fig. 17A View FIGURE 17 ). Carapace regions well-defined, with granules on each defined region ( Figs. 10B View FIGURE 10 , 13A View FIGURE 13 ). Basal antennal article longer than broad, roundish outer margin ( Fig. 15A View FIGURE 15 ). Pterygostomal region with 3 rounded granules fused basally ( Fig. 15A View FIGURE 15 ). Male thoracic sternum slightly depressed anteriorly ( Fig. 15A View FIGURE 15 ). Male pleon with telson and 6 somites free; telson triangular with round margin ( Fig. 15A View FIGURE 15 ). G1 relatively straight, laterally flattened with distal tip sharp ( Fig. 18 View FIGURE 18 A–D).

Description. Carapace pyriform, with tomentum of setae, with long tufts of setae along edge of gastric region, smooth when denuded ( Figs. 10B View FIGURE 10 , 13A View FIGURE 13 ). Pseudorostral spines straight, diverging, V-shaped. Supraorbital eave fused to carapace; pre-orbital lobe directed outwards. Post-orbital lobe fused with hepatic lobe forming plate-like protrusion, with thin plate protruding outwards ( Fig. 17A View FIGURE 17 ). Carapace regions well-defined, with granules; median small granule on gastric region, long oval-shaped granule on metagastric region, mushroom-shaped urogastric granule fused to metagastric oval-shaped granule, single small granule at base of urogastric region; Y-shaped granule on cardiac region, extending towards posterior margin; strong thick posterior spine with blunt squarish tip; large granule on branchial region, with tip appearing trified, with low swelling behind large granule; thick branchial spine; single small granule along lateral margin of carapace at branchial region ( Figs. 10B View FIGURE 10 , 13A View FIGURE 13 ).

Antennal flagellum equal in length or longer than pseudorostral spines. Antennules completely retractable in deep fossae. Basal antennal article longer than broad, rounded outer margin. Presence of granule at base of article. Buccal frame covered by third maxilliped, distal angle of frame slightly protruded. Pterygostomial region with 3 fused, rounded granules ( Fig. 15A View FIGURE 15 ).

Male cheliped with margins of merus, carpus, propodus, and palm of chela carinate; palm of chela inflated; carpus with single carina on outer margin; merus triangular in cross-section, carinate on all margins ( Fig. 13A View FIGURE 13 ). Ambulatory legs long, P2 longest; merus, carpus, and propodus covered with setae; dactylus with sharp, curved tip.

Male thoracic sternum slightly depressed anteriorly; sternites 1–4 fused without median sutures, broad; lateral margins of sternites 3 and 4 slightly constricted, surface concave. Male pleon with telson and 6 somites free; telson triangular with round margin ( Fig. 15A View FIGURE 15 ). Adult female pleon rounded, with all somites and telson free. G1 relatively straight, flattened with distal tip sharp ( Fig. 18 View FIGURE 18 A–D).

Etymology. The species is name after a Star Wars movie character, Ewok, due to the fuzzy and woolly appearance of the new species. The name is used as a noun.

Coloration. In life, chela and top half of carapace pinkish to orange; remainder of carapace and walking legs whitish to pale pink ( Fig. 10B View FIGURE 10 ).

Remarks. Crocydocinus ewok n. sp. is superficially similar to Tunepugettia species in the general morphology, but has more granules on the carapace ( Figs. 13 View FIGURE 13 , 14 View FIGURE 14 ), the ambulatory legs do not have the segments carinate, and the G1 does not have the bifid tip ( Fig. 18 View FIGURE 18 A–D), which are characteristics of species of Tunepugettia .

Crocydocinus ewok n. sp. is currently only known from its type locality, Astrolabe Bay, Papua New Guinea.