Munidopsis subsquamosa Henderson 1888

Munidopsis subsquamosa Henderson, 1888

(Fig. 9)

Restricted synonymy:

Munidopsis subsquamosa Henderson, 1888: 414; 1888: 152, pl. 17, figs. 4, 4a

Munidopsis subsquamosa var. aculeata Henderson, 1888: 153, pl. 16: figs. 1, la.— Gordon, 1955: 244, figs. lC, 1D, 2B, 2B', 3B, 3C.— Wicksten, 1989: 136 (list).

Munidopsis aculeata Haig, 1955: 41.— Retamal, 1981: 23 (list), fig. 98.

Type locality. Stn 237 expedition “Challenger” off the Japanese coast, SE of Nojimazaki, Boso Peninsula, Japan (34°37’N, 140°32’E), 3431 m.

Distributional range. Japan: Boso Peninsula, Izu Shoto (Henderson 1885; Baba 1982). Australia: New South Wales (Ahyong & Poore 2004). Marion and Crozet Islands and west of Patagonia, Chile (Henderson 1888, as M. subsquamosa aculeata). South Africa: West Cape Point (Kensley 1968 as M. barnardi) between Marion and Crozet islands. Coasts of the South American Pacific, Gulf of Panama, off Chiloe, Chile (Haig 1955).

Bathymetric range. 865–3431 m.

New record. MUAP (CD)-0468, ovigerous female, cl 18.28 mm, off Caldera (~27°S; about 1000 m), February 2004, taken in Patagonian Toothfish (Dissostichus eleginoides) long-line at about 1000 m; MUAP (CD)-0469, ovigerous female cl 17.56 mm, off Concepción “ONR” expedition AGT 0 7 (32°21.64’S, 73°43.57’W, 865–926 m).

Description. Rostrum acute, short, almost half carapace length; with medial keel. Carapace almost pentagonal, densely covered by scale-like tubercles ending in minute spine with row of single setae; few spines in cardiac region and along margins (see Henderson 1895); antennal spine acute, short, not reaching the cornea; carapace surface flat, without well delimited regions; cervical groove poorly developed (Fig. 9 b). Eyes with long ocular spine (Fig. 9 a). Abdominal segments unarmed, with 1 transverse groove on second to fourth somites (Fig. 9 c). Chelipeds short, almost same length as carapace; palm as long as dactyl, both unarmed (Fig. 9 d), surface with low tubercles ending in row of setae; carpus and merus armed with strong spines on the distal margin, merus with mesial row of spines (Fig. 9 e). Walking legs as long as two-thirds total length carapace, armed on the dorsal margin of carpus and merus; propodus and dactyl unarmed dorsally (Fig. 9 f); dactyl with ventral row of spines, each with seta on anterior margin (Fig. 9 g); distoventral end of propodus with mobile spine (Fig. 9 f, h).

Remarks. The main differences between the syntype of M. subsquamosa aculeata Faxon and the lectotype of M. subsquamosa Henderson compared to the specimens analyzed here are in the straighter dactyls of the P2–4 (Fig. 9 g). Regarding the differences noted by Baba (2005) in the more spinous form of the syntype specimens than the lectotype of M. subsquamosa, the specimens observed here are scarcely spinous and the rostrum is upturned. By this, our specimens are more similar to M. subsquamosa aculeata. Nevertheless, the differences are not sufficient to separate then into two subspecies, as also concluded by Baba (2005).

Munidopsis subsquamosa has been cited many times in Chilean waters as M. aculeata Henderson, 1888, M. subsquamosa var. aculeata Henderson, 1888, or M. subsquamosa aculeata Faxon, 1895 (Haig 1955; Retamal 1981, 2000; Retamal & Moyano 2011). Despite these citations, specimens of this species were known from Chile only from the original description, so this is a new record of the species.