Metacrangon punctata Komai 2012

(Fig. 4 C–E)

Metacrangon punctata Komai, 2012: 17, figs. 5–7, 43 (type locality: Banda Sea, Indonesia, 1,058–1,084 m).

Material examined. SJADES, stn CP 13, S of Java, 06°00.52′S, 104°49.41′E to 06°00.83′S, 104°49.43′E, 1,259–1,268 m, 26 March 2018, beam trawl, 1 ovigerous female (cl 12.9 mm), ZRC 2019.1873; stn CP 18, S of Java, 06°10.76′S, 105°05.59′E to 16°11.59′S, 105°05.74′E, 1,060–1,073 m, 26 March 2018, beam trawl, 1 male (cl 7.4 mm), 1 ovigerous female (cl 12.5 mm), ZRC 2019.1874.

Colouration in life. Body generally whitish; carapace with tinge of purplish brown anterodorsally; pleon mottled with purplish brown markings at least on pleomeres 3–5, pleomere 6 semitransparent; cornea brownish, reflective; antennular and antennal peduncles purplish brown; pereopod 1 whitish, semitransparent; pereopods 4 and 5, pleopods and uropods generally purplish brown (Fig. 4 C–E).

Distribution. Previously known from the Banda Sea (Indonesia), Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, and New Caledonia, at depths of 670–1,135 m. The present specimens came from the south of Java, Indonesia, at depths of 1,060 –1,268 m, extending the geographical range of the species to the eastern Indian Ocean.

Remarks. As Komai (2012) argued, M. punctata can be assigned to the “ M. jacqueti ” species group, characterised by the greatly enlarged anterior middorsal spine on the carapace at least partially overhanging the rostrum, the possession of a ventral marginal tooth on each pleonal pleuron 1–3, and the marginally setose dactyli of the pereopods 4 and 5. The southern Java specimens agree well with the type material, particularly in the punctate branchial region of the carapace (Fig. 4 C–E), one of the characteristics of M. punctata.