Clorida sp., undescribed species

Fig. 4

Diagnosis

A1 somite dorsal processes with short, triangular apices. A2 peduncle segment 1 extending anteriorly beyond eyes. Carapace with anterolateral spines. Raptorial claw dactylus with 5 teeth; outer proximal margin with basal notch. Mandibular palp 3-segmented. TS5 lateral process a short slender lobe, apex spiniform, with small ventral spine. TS6 lateral process broadly rounded. TS7 lateral process subtruncate; anterolateral and posterolateral angles obtusely rounded. TS7–8 and AS (1)2–5 with low SM carinae. AS 6 with distinct SM carinae. Abdominal carinae spined as follows: SM6, IM 5–6, LT 5–6, MG (4)5. Telson dorsolateral surface with widely-spaced rows of tubercles; margin of IM and LT teeth faintly crenulate to strongly tuberculate; denticles SM 4–6, IM 5–8, LT 1; ventral surface with long postanal carina, extending beyond half distance between anal pore and posterior margin. Uropodal protopod outer margin crenulate to serrate (smooth in one example); inner margin with 3–6 slender spines. Uropodal exopod proximal segment outer margin with 6–8 movable spines; distal segment longer than proximal segment; with black patch at articulation of exopod segments.

Material examined

MOZAMBIQUE • 1 ♂ (TL 64 mm), 2 ♀♀ (TL 47, 53 mm); Mozambique (exact location data unavailable); depth unknown; 1924; J.D.F. Gilchrist leg; SAMC – A006796.

SOUTH AFRICA • 2 ♀♀ (TL 47, 53 mm); KwaZulu-Natal; 29°10.9′ S, 31°42.8′ E; 40 m depth; 25 May 1976; RV Meiring Naude; beam trawl; stn SM114; SAMC – A017939.

Measurements

Male (n = 1) TL 64 mm, female (n = 2) TL 47–53 mm.A1 peduncle 1.05–1.18CL. A2 scale 0.46–0.49CL.

Colour in alcohol

Mostly faded from dark-brown to pale amber. Uropodal exopod with darker patch at articulation of proximal and distal segments. Colour in life unknown.

Distribution and habitat

Recorded for the first time from Mozambique [unknown location] and South Africa.

Remarks

The Mozambican sample was collected a century ago and it is only after the recent taxonomic study of the ‘ Clorida complex’ by Ahyong (2000) that this species could be compared to the similar species C. latreillei Eydoux & Souleyet, 1842 and C. albolitura Ahyong & Naiyanetr, 2000. All specimens examined herein were previously identified as C. latreillei in the museum collection. The present specimens are most similar to C. albolitura described from the Gulf of Thailand (Ahyong & Naiyanetr 2000) and known from the Indian Ocean and most recently in the Mediterranean as an invasive species (Ahyong & Galil 2006). Clorida albolitura is morphologically distinguished from C. latreillei by the length of the postanal carina of the telson extending beyond half the distance between the anal pore and posterior margin and this characteristic is shared by the present specimens (Fig. 4G–H). But the degree of inflation in the adult male specimen is significantly greater than that exhibited by C. albolitura, and instead resembles that of an adult male of C. latreillei. Furthermore, an unusual feature of the present material is the crenulated or serrate outer margin of the uropodal protopod which is always smooth in C. latreillei and C. albolitura. This feature coupled with the degree of inflation of the telson teeth carinae as well as the long post-anal keel suggests that the specimens represent an undescribed species.