New records of two rare genera, Monstrotanais Kudinova-Pasternak, 1981 and Robustochelia Kudinova-Pasternak, 1983 (Tanaidacea: Crustacea)
Author
Wiak, Piotr Jó Ż
Author
Błażewicz-Paszkowycz, Magdalena
text
Zootaxa
2007
1505
19
35
journal article
10.5281/zenodo.177166
ad53b532-537b-4e3a-828b-f9ead5b28317
1175-5326
177166
Genus:
Robustochelia
Kudinova-Pasternak, 1983
Diagnosis:
Antennule 5-articled. Antenna 6-articled, articles 2 and 3 with robust seta. Mandible molar pointed. Maxillule with spiniform setae and regular setae distally. Maxilliped palp robust; endites relatively small, with two setae and without tubercles. Cheliped robust, attached by ventral sidepiece; propodus and dactylus strongly chitinized. Pereopods 1–3 with coxa; merus, carpus and propodus with regular setae. Pereopods 4–6 merus and carpus with spiniform setae. Pleopods well developed. Uropod endopod 2-articled, exopod 1- articled.
Male:
Similar to female, but antennule articles 1–3 clearly solid.
Type
species:
Robustochelia robusta
(
Kudinova-Pasternak, 1970
)
.
Gender of generic name:
Masculine.
Species included:
Robustochelia angusticephala
Kudinova-Pasternak, 1986
;
R. longa
Kudinova-Pasternak, 1983
;
R. robusta
(
Kudinova-Pasternak, 1970
)
;
R. virilis
n. sp.
Remarks:
A diagnosis of
Robustochelia
modified after
Kudinova-Pasternak (1983)
, was presented by
Larsen (2005: page 276)
. Taking the chance to examine the
type
species –
Robustochelia robusta
(Kudinova-
Pasternak, 1970
) we have presented an amended diagnosis of the genus. According to our observation the genus is not only defined by robust and heavily chitinized chelae, but also pointed mandibular molar and pleopods present in both sexes. A peculiar feature of the genus is setation of the pereopods that is regular in the first three pereopods and modified to short spiniform setae in pereopods 4–6. In such circumstances
Robustochelia solida
Larsen, 2005
that has a wide molar, strong setae in all pereopods and lacks pleopods in the female cannot be included in the genus. It is very probable that Larsen’s species represents a new genus that may be more closely related to
Leptognathioides
and
Monstrotanais
.
Bearing in mind the characters mentioned above, the newly defined genus
Robustochelia
shows some relation to
Leptognathia
in having a pointed molar, lacking tubercles on the maxilliped endites, having delicate setae together with spiniform setae on the maxillules and regular setae on pereopods 1–3. At the same time
Robustochelia
differs from
Leptognathia
by having minute setation on the labium, strong setae on pereopods 4–6 and a different
type
of male.