Decapoda - Caridea - Palaemonidae - Pontonides

Pontonides ankeri Marin, 2007



World Distribution
Marin (2007: 7) - Based on previous records (see Bruce, 2005), numerous photographs in popular underwater guides and in the internet, and the present record, P. ankeri n. sp. appears to be widely distributed in the Indo-West Pacific, e.g., in the Seychelles, Thailand, Vietnam, Philippines, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Taiwan, Japan, Australia, French Polynesia and Hawaii (but because of previous misidentifications it is impossible to determine .. distribution range). 5-35 m to 70 m.
Marin (2007: 7) - Indo-ouest Pacifique. Seychelles, Thailand, Vietnam, Philippines, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Taiwan,
Japan, Australia, French Polynesia and Hawaii. Plus la Réunion, premier signalement à confirmer par l'examen de spécimens.

Environnement : Marine - Substrat/Association : Associated with corals (obligate)

Vertical range : Shallow-waters (0-100 m) - Min-Max observed: 5-70 m

Mayotte data
Pontonides ankeri - - Poupin et al., 2022, Naturae, MNHN, https://doi.org/10.5852/naturae2022a8 : 141. - Mayotte, 65-72 m, April 5, 2019, on coral ?Cirrhipathes (photos G. Barathieu
KWD - Mesophotic, Det OK, First for Mayotte, Associated coral, Deepest record

Réunion data
Pontonides unciger - Ribes-Beaudemoulin et al. 2002 : 78 (Réunion), probablement non Pontonides unciger Calman, 1939 sur la base de la coloration. - Pontonides ankeri - Mission Poupin, avril 2008 (Dans un premier temps identifié à P. unciger, re-det. A. Anker, Y. Marin, d'après photographies, F. Trentin, L. Bêche, A. Diringer). -

New Caledonia data
Pontonides ankeri - Juncker & Poupin (2009: 38, n°275, CRISP Report) - Profondeur : 1-10 m / Source : cette compilation, d'après photo in situ, confirmé par Ivan Marin

Central Pacific data (Wallis & Futuna, Polynesia, Clipperton, Easter Island)
Pontonides unciger - Fransen, 1994: 136, pl. 4d (Photograph; anthipataria associate). - Debelius, 1999, 2001: 194 (Marquesas; photograph by L. Pozzoli - Not P. unciger Calman, probably P. ankeri - Pontonides ankeri - Marin, 2007: 7 (presence possible in French Polynesia based on photographs in Debelius (2001), but examination of specimens is necessary for confirmation). - Field observation, 2006, photograph by P. Bacchet, prov. det. I. Marin from photo only, Tahiti outer slope at night 42 m, on Anthipataria. - AAMP, Marquesas, 2012, Leg 3, St. MQ2-GR, photo in situ Yann Hubert laptop no sample, St. MQ24-GR-R, Ua Pou, 6-12 m, coll. Starmer et al., sample LC339. - Salvat & Bacchet, 2011: 234, photo, field guide 'Au Vent des Iles Ed. Tahiti - French Polynesia, most often Society (Moorea, Tahiti).

Comment(s) on data
In P. ankeri coloration of carapace (cf. Marin 2007): three broad pale yellow or whitish transverse bands, first crossing carapace between eyes, second at about carapace mid-length, and third just in front of posterior margin (in P. loloata only the 2 first bands are present).
Com. A. Anker (2019) - Pontonides ankeri is perhaps a junior synonym of Pontonides loloata Bruce, 2005; DNA is needed to check this possibility.

References : PDF list, 214 pp (1.4 Mo)

This species in Worms Database