Stenopus earlei Goy, 1984

(Fig. 31)

Stenopus earlei Goy, 1984: 117, color plate, p. 12.

Stenopus earlei. — Goy & Randall, 1986: 91.—Goy, 1992: 100.— Debelius & Baensch, 1994: 561, color figure.— Debelius, 2001: 120, color figure.—Saito et al., 2009: 118.— Goy, 2010: 216, 223.— De Grave & Fransen, 2011: 253.

Material examined. Loyalty Islands. MUSORSTOM 6, stn DW 474, 21°08.80’S, 167°55.50’E, 260 m, 22.II.1989, 1 male (MNHN-NA 11988).

Measurements (mm). PCL: 4.1; RCL: 8.8; TL: 19.5.

Distribution. The species is known from type material collected in the Hawaiian and Comoro Islands. This author has examined specimens from Ashmore Reef, Coral Sea, Queensland, Australia (NTM Cr 0 110285, NTM Cr 0 10645, NTM Cr 010679) and Madagascar (MNHN-NA 3589, MNHN-NA 3590, MNHN-NA 4362). The present record extends the species’ range west of New Caledonia.

Coloration. The color pattern of Stenopus earlei is presented by Goy & Randall (1986). Keys based on color pattern that will separate this species from other species of Stenopus are presented by Goy (1992), Walls & Hunziker (1995), and Saito et al. (2009).

Remarks. This single specimen lacks third pereiopods and shows some differences from the type material. Main differences are lengths of rostrum, scaphocerite and sixth abdominal pleuron as well as 13 carpal segments versus 9 in the types on the last 2 pairs of pereiopods. Also, the dorsal bare area on the third abdominal pleuron bears 6 spines compared to the 18–24 spines on the type material. Spination of the carapace, caudal fan and third maxilliped (Fig. 31) does not vary from the types. The New Caledonian specimen was collected at 260 m, the deepest record for the genus. Collection at this depth and possession of all the juvenile characteristics mentioned earlier for S. hispidus, may indicate the specimen represents the decapodid recently metamorphosed and settled out of the plankton. Contrary to this hypothesis, is its large size of 19.5 mm, larger than the type material where ovigerous females were 15.5–15.7 mm total length. However, if one takes into account the elongated rostrum and sixth abdominal pleuron of the New Caledonian specimen, it is in reality smaller than all of type specimens. As mentioned earlier, there must be a size range at settlement for members of the genus Stenopus that would account for juveniles of variable lengths.