Deep-sea spider crabs of the family Epialtidae MacLeay, 1838, from Papua New Guinea, with a redefinition of Tunepugettia Ng, Komai & Sato, 2017, and descriptions of two new genera (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura: Majoidea)
Author
Lee, Bee Yan
Author
Forges, Bertrand Richer De
Author
Ng, Peter K. L.
text
Zootaxa
2019
2019-06-18
4619
1
1
44
journal article
26462
10.11646/zootaxa.4619.1.1
9aaf6711-748d-4067-a759-26d37802b7fc
1175-5326
3248363
CA6AEB18-2F97-449C-AE34-E1509DFFC841
Genus
Rochinia
A. Milne-Edwards, 1875
Rochinia
A. Milne-Edwards, 1875
[in
1873–1880
]: 86 (footnote) [
type
species:
Rochinia gracilipes
A. Milne-Edwards, 1875
, by monotypy].
Remarks.
There are currently 36 species recognised within this genus (
Ng
et al
. 2008
;
Richer de Forges & Ng 2013
;
Takeda & Marumura 2014
;
Tavares
et al
. 2015
;
Lee
et al
. 2017
;
Tavares & Santana 2018
), with the species distributed across the Indo-Pacific and Atlantic Oceans (Griffin & Tranter 1986;
Ng & Richer de Forges 2007
;
Lee
et al
. 2017
).
The genus,
Rochinia
, has a complex history. It was being described as a footnote by A. Milne-Edwards (1875) and later two genera,
Anamathia
Smith, 1885
, and
Scyramathia
A. Milne-Edwards, 1880
, were synonymised under
Rochinia
by Rathbun (1925) for the AEP region. Subsequently, Griffin & Tranter (1986) synonymised
Sphenocarcinus
under
Rochinia
(see also “Remarks” for
Oxypleurodon
).
Tavares (1991)
attempted to redefine
Rochinia
, and included 39 species.
Ng & Richer de Forges (2007)
in their study noted that the members of
Rochinia
are split in two distinct groups, those from the IWP region and the rest from the AEP region (see additional discussion by
Richer de Forges & Poore 2008
).
Ng & Richer de Forges (2013)
attempted to separate the genus by suggesting preliminary groupings based on the shape of the male anterior thoracic sternum and pleon. However, the diagnoses provided by previous authors, such as Rathbun (1925), Garth (1958) and Griffin & Tranter (1986) are not accurate enough to allow many of the species to be grouped.
Tavares & Santana (2018)
attempted to redefine members of the genus from the AEP region, noting that only
R
.
gracilipes
belonged in
Rochinia
sensu stricto
. They also transferred two AEP species to
Scyramathia
, which they recognised as a valid genus, transferred one AEP species to
Anamathia
, established
Minyorhyncha
Tavares & Santana, 2018
, for
M
.
crassa
(A. Milne-Edwards, 1879)
, and referred the remaining four AEP and 31 IWP species to
Rochinia
sensu lato
(
Tavares & Santana, 2018
). As such, with the taxonomic problems of this genus having been discussed at length by various authors (see
Ng & Richer de Forges 2007
; 2013;
Richer de Forges & Poore 2008
;
Lee
et al
. 2017
;
Tavares & Santana 2018
), a revision of
Rochinia
is now in preparation (see also
Lee
et al
., 2017
). For the two new species described in this paper, they will both be provisionally placed in
Rochinia
sensu lato
until a complete revision can be finished by the authors.
Therefore, with the description of two new species from
PNG
and the transfer of four species out of
Rochinia
(see
Tunepugettia
Ng, Komai & Sato, 2017
, and
Crocydocinus
n. gen.
), there are currently 34 species in this genus.