Nikoides danae Paulson, 1875

Fig. 3

Nikoides danae Paulson, 1875: 98; pl. 14, figs. 5-5d.– Hayashi, 1975: 53, figs. 1–2.– Noël, 1986: 263.—Chace, 1997: 36.

Material examined. Madagascar: 1 male (pocl 4.2), FLMNH UF 14153, Nosy-Bé, west of Hellville, -13.4156 48.2465, sand flat with seagrass bed, 0–3 m, leg. A. Anker, G. Bakary, F. Michonneau, G. Paulay & T. Werner, 25.05.2008 [BMADA-0487, MGNW-50]. Mariana Islands: 1 ov. female (pocl 7.5), FLMNH UF 900, Guam, Tepungan Channel, 2–3 m, leg. Rittson-Williams, 0 1.03.2000 [ZZZ-015510]; 1 ov. female (pocl 7.1), FLMNH UF 23185, Guam, Tepungan Channel tunnel, 13.4646 144.688, 0–4 m, leg. G. Paulay, 16.06.2003 [BGUAM-106]. Australia: 1 female (pocl 4.6), FLMNH UF 27713, Western Australia, Ningaloo Reef, off “Ningaloo base camp”, - 22.67 113.65, backreef near reef breakers, sand with coral bommies and reef platform, in coral rubble crevices, 2–3 m, leg. A. Anker, 23.10.2010 [AUST-7166]. Singapore: 1 post-ov. female (pocl 6.4), ZRC 2013.0398, Pulau Sekudu off Check Jawa (Pulau Ubin), sand-mud flat with seagrass and coral rubble exposed at low tide, burrow, suction pump, leg. A. Anker, 18.10.2012 [JS-1448].

Colour pattern. Semitransparent with pale orange tinge and numerous white or pale-yellow, irregular spots of various sizes on carapace and abdomen; spots most abundant on posterior half of abdomen; first to fourth abdominal somites with diffuse red transverse bands dorsally; isolated patches of red chromatophores present on carapace, e.g., posterior to orbits; antennular peduncles with alternating pale orange and white patches, and some red chromatophores; third maxilliped and first pereiopods reddish with conspicuous white patches; remaining pereiopods mostly transparent; tail fan densely covered with pale yellow and whitish spots and reddish areas (Fig. 3).

Remarks. The present material confirms the variability of the characters previously noted by Noël (1986), with some specimens being intermediate between N. danae and the closely related N. gurneyi Hayashi, 1975 (see below).

Ecology. Nikoides danae is found in high abundances on seagrass beds, primarily at night (Ledoyer, 1984; Unsworth et al., 2010). However, the present records concur with previous observations (see Hayashi 1975) that this species has a much wider habitat preference than just seagrass beds, as some specimens were collected from reef habitats with corals and coral rubble. Although primarily a shallow water species (up to intertidal), N. danae has also been recorded from a depth of 32 m (De Man, 1920).

Distribution. The species is known from the Red Sea, East Africa and Madagascar, eastwards to Hawaii and Great Barrier Reef (Hayashi 1975); it is herewith newly recorded from Guam, Singapore and Western Australia.