Nikoides steinii Edmondson 1935

Nikoides steinii (Edmondson, 1935)

Fig. 6

Processa steinii Edmondson, 1935: 3, fig. 1.

Processa nanus Chace, 1955: 8, fig. 4.

Nikoides steinii Hayashi, 1975: 69, figs. 8–9.—Chace, 1997: 37.

Material examined. French Polynesia: 1 ov. female (pocl 3.6), FLMNH UF 23278, Moorea, W of Cook Bay Pass, in front of Hilton Hotel, -149.8442 -17.4771, reef front, on or near reef crest, 3–6 m, hand collecting at night, leg. G. Paulay, S. McKeon, S. McPherson, S. Haddock & A. Collins, 23.10.2009 [BMOO-06746, BIZ-029]. Australia: 1 female (pocl 3.4), FLMNH UF 24679, Queensland, Great Barrier Reef, Heron Island, Wistari Reef, -23.452 151.8671, lagoon, patch reefs, rubble, 11–13 m, hand collecting, leg. J. Reimer, 11.11.2009 [AUST-4634, HI09- 002]; 1 ov. female (pocl 4.5), FLMNH UF 17488, Queensland, Great Barrier Reef, Lizard Island, Snake Pit, sta. 2, forereef, coral rubble, 5–15 m, leg. S. Smith, K. Mills & G. Cranitch, 24.02.2009 [AUST-1765, AUST-ST-089]; 1 female (pocl 3.2), FLMNH UF 17190, Queensland, Great Barrier Reef, Lizard Island, Day Reef, forereef, rubble wash, leg. N. Bruce, 19.02.2009 [AUST-1295, AUST-ST-061]; 1 female (pocl 3.1), FLMNH UF 27705, Western Australia, Ningaloo Reef, off “Ningaloo base camp”, -22.67 113.65, backreef near reef breakers, sand with coral bommies, rubble cracking, 2–3 m, leg. A. Anker, 23.05.2010 [AUST-7156]. Republic of Palau: 1 ov female (pocl 4.1), OUMNH.ZC.2012-01-077, Malakal Channel, 7.317 134.4607, from loose rubble, 2 m, leg. S. De Grave & C. Burras, 22.05.2002 [st 95]. Taiwan: 1 ov. female (pocl 4.5), 1 female (pocl 4.6), OUMNH.ZC.2010-02-070, Green Island, General Rock, 22.676964 121.495437, night dive, leg. C.W. Lin & T. Naruse, 20.07.2009; 1 female (pocl 4.2), OUMNH.ZC.201-02-071, Green Island, Chaikou Village, 22.677400 121. 482137, night dive, leg. C.W. Lin & T. Naruse, 21.07.2009.

Colour pattern. Semitransparent with large dorsal patch of red chromatophores on carapace; isolated patches of red chromatophores also on abdomen and appendages, e.g., on pleura, antennular peduncles, third maxilliped, first pereiopods and tail fan; patches of white chromatophores around frontal area of carapace, on abdomen (sometimes absent or internal), third maxillipeds and tail fan; posterior abdominal somites occasionally speckled with smaller white spots (Fig. 6).

Remarks. The material is typical for this species and presents no noteworthy features.

Ecology. On the basis of the present records and scattered information in the literature (summarised in Hayashi 1975), N. steinii seems to frequent coral reef lagoons and reef fronts, dwelling in coral rubble and dead coral heads by day and roaming on reef walls and rubble fields by night. The depth range appears to be around 0– 13 m.

Distribution. This is a widely distributed species, known from Kenya, Tanzania (Zanzibar), Japan, eastern Indonesia, Australia, Palau, the Marshall Islands and Hawaii (Bruce 1993; Chace 1997). The present records of N. steinii from Ningaloo Reef and northern Great Barrier Reef complete Bruce’s (1993) previous Australian records from the Territory of Ashmore and Cartier Islands. The species is also recorded for the first time from French Polynesia and Taiwan.