Decapoda - Brachyura - Xanthidae - Xanthias
| Xanthias joanneae Mendoza, 2013 |
World Distribution
(Mendoza, 2023, Tropical Deep-Sea Benthos) - Indo-West Pacific: Madagascar, Mayotte, Philippines, Ryukyu Islands (Japan). Bathymetric range: 2-30 m
Environnement : Marine - Substrat/Association : Hard bottom (rock and rubbles)
Vertical range : Shallow-waters (0-100 m) - Min-Max observed: 2-30 m
Mayotte data
Xanthias maculatus sensu lato - Poupin et al. 2018: in part, fig. 18A, B; MNHN-IU-2009-2633/32, Mayotte KUW 2009, st. 23, Choizil Pass, "Patate à Teddy", 15-30 m, 1 F 3.7 x 6.5 mm, 1 M 5.0 x 7.5 mm (photos, remain of color still present in July 2011), MNHN-IU-2009-2633; st. 25, Islet M'tzamboro, south, 15-20 m, 1 juv. 3.1 x 4.7 mm (compared with sp. at st. 23, July 2011), MNHN-IU-2009-2632 - [not specimen at st. 23, id. 1 F 5.9 x 8.7 mm, 1 juv. 4.1 x 6.1 mm (almost no remains of coloration in July 2011), MNHN-IU-2009-2634 = Xanthias sp. aff. latirons] - Following Mendoza, 2023, Tropical Deep-Sea Benthos: 182.
Xanthias joanneae - Mendoza, 2023, Tropical Deep-Sea Benthos: 181, in references - Xanthias maculatus sensu lato in Poupin et al. 2018: 65 (in part), fig. 18A, B (Mayotte, MNHN-IU-2009-2632 and 2633). Not X. maculatus Sakai, 1961. - See comment.
New Caledonia data
08/01/1987, LAGON, IRD; probably X. joanneae, det. Poupin from photo only.
Comment(s) on data
Comment in Mendoza, 2023, Tropical Deep-Sea Benthos: 182 - Poupin et al. (2018) reported “Xanthias maculatus sensu lato” from Mayotte, and pointed out that their material had characteristics which were shared with either X. maculatus (i.e. anterolateral teeth without well rounded apices, and longitudinal ridges on the external surface of the chela palm) or X. joanneae (i.e., a larger number of ocelli on the carapace and chelipeds, and relatively shorter and stouter ambulatory legs) or intermediate between the two. While this is difficult for me to confirm without having examined the specimens myself, I have reason to believe that the material reported therein may consist of more than one species. The male and female specimens for which the fresh or nearfresh colouration was recorded (Poupin et al. 2018: fig. 18A, B; MNHN-IU-2009-2633) are quite similar to the present material from Madagascar, and are considered here to be X. joanneae. However, the other female that was figured (Poupin et al. 2018: fig. 18C, D; MNHN-IU-2009-2634), has 2 longitudinal grooves on the palm of the chela and, furthermore the fingers are also quite deeply grooved. These are not typical of either X. maculatus or X. joanneae, and so I have reason to suspect that it may be a different species of Xanthias altogether, perhaps identical or related to X. latifrons, a similar species which has also been reported from the western Indian Ocean (Serène 1984).
References : PDF list, 214 pp (1.4 Mo)This species in Worms Database