The marine isopod Neocirolana Hale 1925 (Crustacea: Cirolanidae) from tropical Australian waters

11 Pages·1994·5.4 MB·English

by  Niel L Bruce

THEMARINEISOPODNEOC1ROLANA HALE, 1925 (CRUSTACEA: CIROLANIDAE)
FROMTROPICALAUSTRALIAN WATERS
NIELL. BRUCE
Bruce,N.L. 1994 1201:ThemarineisopodNeocirolanaHale,1925(Crustacea:Cirolanidae)
fromtropicalAustralianwaters.MemoirsoftheQueenslandMuseum37(1):41-51.Brisbane.
ISSN 0079-8835.
Twonew speciesofNeocirolanaaredescribedfromsub-littoraltropicalwatersofnorthern
Australia:Neocirolanasalebrasp.nov.,fromtheArafuraSeaandNeocirolanatricistatasp.
nov. from the vicinity ofTorres Strait; new localities are also recorded for Neocirolana
N
hermitensis (Boone, 1918) and excisa (Richardson, 1910) Observations indicate lha<
Neocirolana hermitensis is a brood predator ofhermit crabs. Comments are given on the
current sQtatus ofthe genus, togetherwith alistofal! species and a key to the Indo-Pacific
species. fsopoda, Cirolanidae,newspecies, northernAustralia, taxonomy.
NielL, Bruce, Zooh&iskMuseum, University ofCopenhagen, Urtiversitetsparken 15. DK
2100. Kfbenhavn 0, Denmark; 30August 1994.
Neocirolana Hale, 1925 was established as a Typespecies
monotypicgenus, laterbeingrevised by Bruce (1981. Neocirolanaobesa Hale, 1925, by monotypy.
&
1986). Since then Javed Yasmeen (1990) placed a
further two species in the genus, transferring
Neocirolana obtruncata (Richardson, 1901) from Diagnosis
Cirolana Leach, 1818, and describing the species Head narrow, 50- 60% width ofpereonitc 1.
Neocirolana arabica Javed & Yasmeen, 1990; Pleon with 5 unfused segments; posterolateral
NeocirokmatayronaeMuller,1993wasdescribedfrom margins of pleonite 4 encompassing and ex-
Colombia. InAustraliathe genus isrepresented by tending posteriorly beyond posterior of
sevenspecies,includingthetwonewspeciesdescribed pleonite 5. Frontal lamina ventral surface flat.
here,sixofwhichoccuronlywithinthetropics. Mandibleincisornarrow, usuallyless than50%
ofmaximal mandible width; spine row usually
METHODS with 3-7 spines, molarusually reduced in sue
(in comparison to Cirolana), weakly toothed.
Methods follow those outlined in Bruce (19S6, Maxillule entire, or with reduced spination.
Maxilla entire or often with reduced setation
1993),
and reduction in size of lobes. Pereopods
robust, ambulatory, not markedly flattened or
ABBREVIATIONS
expanded; pereopods 1-3 with anterodistal
BRR- Bureau of Rural Resources; CP- cir- angles of ischium and merus not produced or
ceNuTmm.pT;lerurmPiotMosreSy;;-CNPop-rltcuhiemrrocnsueTmeprlmruiatmroogrsyienMsaueltsaees,uemNt,Tae-D;aNroQwrliidnh--, elonbdatoep.odPleoofpopdlseowpitohd P5M;Speodnunalcllreasmiwietxhcoeuptt
Queensland, Australia; QM- Queensland Maseum, lateral lobes; appendix masculina basally in-
serted.
Brisbane; USNM-NationalMuseumofNatural His-
Additionalcharacters.Body2-3 timesaslong
tory, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C.;
WA- Western Australia. as wide; pereonite 1 distinctly longer than
pereonite 2; posterolateral margins ofpleonite
TAXONOMY 3 often extending to or beyond posterior of
pleonite 5. Antennule peduncle with 3 major
Family CIROLANIDAE Dana, 1852 airntilcleensg,tahr,ticplaert4lmyinourtew;haorltlicylesfu1saedn.d2Msaunbdeiqbulael
withoui lacinia mobilis. Maxilliped entire, or
Neocirolana Hale, 1925 with various setal reductions, sometimes with
endite reduced. Antennal peduncle 5 articlr.ii
Neocirolana Hale, 1925: 153; Holdich ct al., Mandible palp 3 articled, extending beyond in-
1981: 583; Bruce, 1981.955, fig. 6g, h, 1986:200; cisor Pereopod dactylus with distincr secondary
&
Javed Yasmeen. 1990:7J. unguis. Penes short papillose or vasa deferenti.i
.
42 MEMOIRSOFTHEQUEENSLAND MUSbUM
opening flush with surface ofsternite 7. Uropod Halifax Bay, Townsville, Queensland. Types
peduncle inner margin produced along endopod heldat the QM.
medial margin; rami provided with PMS inter- Neocirolana excise (Richardson, 1910). Type
spersedwith spine?. locality Cabalian Point, Jolo, Phillipines; com-
monin tropical Australianwaters.Svntypesheld
attheUSNM.
REMARKS
Neocirolana herrnitensis (Boone, 1918). An
Species ofNeocirolana ail have al least some associate of hermit crabs, probably a brood
reduction of the mouthpart appendages; most predator (see species 'Remarks' given here for
species(7of9)haveanarrowmandibularincisor, that species). Common in tropical Australian
often (7 of 9) accompanied by a reduced spine waters.Locationofthetypematerialisunknown.
rowoflessthan5 spinesand a molarprocessthat Neocirolana maculata Bruce, 1986. Known
issmallerthanthatofCirolana: thenarrow man- only from the original records, Wistari Reef,
dible incisorappears to be associatedwithanar- Capricorn Group, southern Great Barrier Reef
rowerheadwidth.Modificationsalsooccurinthe and Marion Reef, Australian Coral Sea. Types
othermouthpartappendages,butthesearcmostly heldat the QM.
restricted to single species, and where similNar Neocirolana obesa Hale. 1925. Type species.
may not be homologous.Neocirolana excisa,
maadataandN. obesaallshareasimilarmouth- Types held at the Australian Museum. Sydney.
Recorded distribution in southeastern Australia
part, pereopod and uropod morphology, and ap-
from Morcton Bay. southeastern Queensland to
pear to form a group of related species, as theSydney region o(New South Wales
indicated by Bruce (1986). Neocirolanaarabica
Neocirolana obtruncata (Richardson. 1901)
differs from Cirolana only in having few (3) Jamaica and Caribbean coast ofMexico (Martin
spines on the mandibular spine row, and could & Feldcr, 1984). Typesheld at the USNM.
arguably be betterplaced in Cirolana. Similarly,
Neocirolana salebra, while very similar to Nevciwlunasukhrasp. nov. Describedherein.
Cirolanawith regardto mostgeneric characters, NeocirolanatayronaeMiiller, 1993.Caribbean
differs substantially in the spination ofthemaxi- coast of Colombia, in shallow water. Hoknypc
llule. Incontrast,all themouthpeirlsofN obtrun- heldatthe Zoologisches Museum, Berlin.
cataarereducedorotherwise modified. Neocirolana tricristasa sp. nov. Described
Twospecies,N.bicristaand.V.rhcristata.have herein.
longitudinal ridges on the plcotclson, and also
KEYTOTHE INDO-WESTPACIFIC
havesimilarmouthparts,butthepereopodalmor-
NEOCIROLANA
phology ofthe two species is distinct.
The conclusion drawn by Javed & Yasmeen
(1990) that Neocirolana is a paraphyletic taxon 1 Dorsal surfaces nodulose 2
Dorsalsurfacessmooth, withoutnodules ... 5
for which the principal uniting character is a
homoplasy is further supported by the two new 2.Pcrcon.pleonandpleotelsonwithdsirinctnodules . 3
species described here. The species currently Pereonand pleonwithoutdistinct nodules,
placed in the genus are better retained in their pleotelsonwithdistinctlongitudinalcarinac . 4
presentcombinations,asotherexistinggeneraare 3.Perconites7 only with nodules,pleonandpleotel-
lessappropriate. son with fine nodulesand pleonites3-5 with
largerpaired nodules, maleuropod rami lateral
SPECIES OFNEOCIROLANA margin withdensemassofsetae . . N. arabica
Pereonites5-7,pleonand plcotclsonheavily
nodulose; male uropod rami withoutseta! muss
Neocirolana arabicaJaved & Yasmeen, 1990. N salebrQ sp. nov,
KarachicoastofPakistan,northernIndianOcean.
Types held at the QM. The species is otherwise 4.Plcmoetdcilasnoncawriitnha:2pweirdeeolpyosdpdaaccetdylcuasnsnlaeendaenrdwwiethak
very similar to those species of Cirolana which minutesecondary unguis ...... N. hkri.sta
have a nodulose pleon and pleotelson, and Pleotelsonwith 3 closely spaced cannae;
uropods with dense seial development in the pereopoddactylusrobust with prominentsecon-
males, such as Cirolana pleonastica Stebbing, dary unguis N. trivnsiua sp. nov.
1900.
5.Uropod lateral marginwithoutexcision,apicesnot
Neocirolana bicrista Holdich el al., 1981. bifid; maxillipedenditereduced, withoutCPSor
Known only from shallow subtidal depths, coupling hooks N. hermittmsis
NEW MARINEJSOPODS 43
Uropodlateralmarginwithexcision,apicesbifid;max- middle lobe each with J setae; medial lobe with
illipndentiitcwithCPSand2couplingbooks fi 2CPspines and 9 simple setae. Maxilliped palp
6.Uropodendopod deeply excised; maxillamiddle medialmarginsofarticles2-5providedwithshort
and lateral lobesexpanded jV exdsa serrate spines, lateral margins with few setae;
Uropodendopod shallowly excised, maxillamid- endilewith2couplinghooks,3shortsimplesetae
dle andlateral lobes notexpanded 7 and 4 long CPS.
.
V.CephaJonantctiormarginwithoutdistinctrostral Pereopods with few setae. Pereopod 1 merus
point;antennularriagcllumhall'aslongas posteriormargin laterally with6blunttubercular
peduncle i . .JV, obesa spinesans 1 short acute spine, medially with 5
Cneuplhaarlfolnagaenltleurmiolromnagregritnhawnitphediumntcrloelp.oiNnt;maancttcdnatc aaccuuttee ssppiinnee;s;prpoosptoedruisorwimtahrg3inacoutfecsapripnuess,wdiitshtal1
spineopposing dactylusbase 20% lengthofdac-
Neoctrolana sakbra sp. nov. tyluvPereopod2pnsterodistalmarginofischium
(Figs 1,2) with 1 tubercular and 1 large blunt spine;
posteriormarginofmeruswith3shorttubercular,
MaterialExamined
2 longer stout blunt spines, and 3 acute spines;
SHeOaL.OT1YI°KIE3;.5o*S.(9,172m9m*4)2. hN.ort1h2erDneTcerr1i9t8o9r.y,dArreadJguerda cpoasrtpeursodiwsittalha2nglaec;utperopaonddusIpabllumntwitshpi3neascutaei
23.8m. BRR.QMW18711.
spines. Pereopod 7 with anterodistal angles of
ischium, merus and carpus each with cluster of
Description
largespines,someofwhicharcserrate;posterior
Maleholotype. Bodyabout2.7timesas longas marginsofischium, merusand carpus with short
greatestwidth;maximumwidthatpereonite$4-6, and stout spines and cluster of spines ar distal
margins sub-parallel. Cephalon without rostral
angle.
point in dorsal view; with submarginai anterior
oscufetpuehryeae,sl:owinetvheinsobsdlcaorurgrseea,lroicdvcgieuepawyl;ionngogcem5le0ldi%iadlwiismdtatirhngciton.f aesnPdeloxepoooppdooddw,it1ehxwo-ip1to3hdPbMwoiStth,har-ba4om0uitPd0Mi.s3Statlailmnyedsrsoapusinnwdeiedda,et
proximolateral margin. Pleopod 2 exopod and
Pereonites 1-7 each with transverse suture, endopod with -50 and 15 PMS respectively, ap
pereoniies4-7 becoming increasingly nodulose;
pendixmasculinastiaightwithapexabruptlynar-
coxae 2-7 not prominent in dorsal view, all with rowed, extending very slightly beyond distal
prominent entire oblique carina; posterolateral
marginoframus. Pleopock 3-5 exopods with the
angles ofcoxae 5-7 acute. Pleonites all visible;
margin distinctly indented.with transverse
pleonite 1 smooth; pleonites 2-5 nodulose, with suturile and with about 50 PMS; endopods each
mediannodulesmostprominentonpleonites3-5. with -12. 10 and PMS respectively. Uropod
Pleotelson nodulose, median nodules most
exopod about 0.8 times as long as endopod.
prominent.
straight, about 2.5 times as long as proximal
Antennule peduncle 2.8 times as long as width
width* with 2 prominent lateral submarginai
gl article 2, articles 1 and 2 wholly fused, article nodules, lateral margin sinuate with 5 acute
3 slightly shorter than combined lengths of ar- spinessetamongprominentPMS, medial margin
ticles 1 and 2; flagellum short, extending to with4spinesamongPMS,apexsubequally bifid;
anterior of pereonitc 1, with 9 articles bearing endopod lateral margin indented at distal two-
abundant aesthetases Antenna peduncle articles
thirds of length, with prominent subapi.il
fIlaangdel3lusmhowrit,thar1t4icalretsic4leasn,dex5tseunbdeiqnugatloipnoslteengrtiho;r nmoedduilael, mwaitrhgiPnMsSmoaontdhl1yspcionneveaxd,jacweinttht7o aspteoxu,t
ofpereonile 2. peg-like spines set among PMS; apex sub-bifid
Frontal laminapentagonal, abouttwiceas long
with lateral process prominent.
as wide, with 2 submedian grooves. Mandible
incisor with cusps indistinct, nearly as wide as
maximal widlh; spine row with 13 spines; molar Remarks
process with selules, anterior margin with 11 The nodulose pereon and pleon immediately
widely spaced spines; palparticles 2 and 3 with distinguishes Neocirolanasalebra fromallother
13 and 14 serrate spines respectively. Maxillule species in the genus. N. arabica has a nodulose
lateral lobe with 1 1 slender spines on gnathal pleon and pleotelson, but the nodules are fine
surface,someofwhicharenodulose; medial lobe except for the pairs of prominent submedial
with 3 very slender spines. Maxilla lateral and nodulesonpleonites3and4 Therearenumerous
44 MEMOIRSOFTHEQUEENSLANDMUSEUM
FIG. 1. Neocirolanasalebra sp. nov. A, dorsal view; B, lateral view; C, frons; D, antennule, anddetail ofterminal
flagellararticles;E,antenna,anddetailofflagellararticles; F, maxilla; G, mandible; H, mandible,detail ofincisor,
molarandspinerow;I,maxillule;J, maxilliped,jspinefrommedial marginofpalparticle5. Scale=2.0mm.
NEWMARINEISOPODS 45
FIG. 2.Neocirolanasalebra sp. nov. A, pereopod 1; B,pereopod 7; C, pereopod 2; D, uropod; E-H, pleopods
1-3,5 respectively.
46 MEMOIRSOFTHEQUEENSLANDMUSEUM
otherdifferences between these two species, in- about 50% maximal width, with distinct cusps;
cluding the ornamentation ofthe frontal lamina, spine row with several setae and 3 spines; molar
setabon of the uropods and morphology of the process short, with few setules, anterior margin
mouthparts, those ofTV. arahica scarcely differ- with about 7 widely spaced spines; palp articles
ingfromCirofana,whilethemandible, rnaxilluic 2and3 withabout 10and7serratespinesrespec-
and maxilliped of.V. salebra differsignificantly tively, MaKillule lateral lobe with 12 slender
fromthatofCiroiana. spines on gnathal surface, several of which ser-
rate;medial lobewith2CPspines. Maxillalateral
Etymology
and middle lobe with 3 and 4 setae respectively,
FromtheLatin 3«ie&m=rugged,uneven,alluding medial lobe with 5 CPspines and 3 simple setae.
to the nodulosedorsal surfaces. Maxilliped palparticles lateral margins with few
Ncocirolana tricristata sp. nov. setae;endite with 1 couplinghooks, 3 shortCPS.
(Figs3-5) Pereopods robust, with few setae. Pereopod 1
megus posterior margin with 3 blunt tubercular
Material Examined spines and I acute spine; posterior margin of
Holotyi'K 6 (3.4 mni), Gulf" of Carpentaria, carpus with 1 acuie spine; propodus with I acute
Queensland. I(V*5*..VS, l4ri2"E, 3 Dec J990, spine, and distal spine opposing dactylus base
dredged 31.0m. S. CookonFRV SouthernSurveyor, $&% ienglhotdactylus, Pereopod 2 piisterodistal
QMW187J7, margin of ischium with Tubercular pine,
1
posterior margin ofmerus with 3 tubercular and
Description
2 long acute spines; carpus with 2 acutespinesat
greMaatleesthwoildotrhy;pem.aBxoidmyuambowuitdt2h.2ailpiemresmnaisileosn3g-a6,s poslerodislal angle; propodus palm with 1 acute
margins sub-parallel. Cephalon without rostral spine. Pereopod 7 with anterodistal angle -
ischium, merus and carpus each with cluster of
point in dorsal view; anterior margin thickened, largespines, someofwhichareserrate; posterior
with submarginal anterior suture, with obscure
longitudinal ridge along medial margin ofeyes; margins with short simple acute spines at distal
eyesoccupying44% width ofcephalon in dorsal angles, ischium with 3 short acute spines along
posterior margin, merus, carpus and propodus
view; ocelli distinct. Pcreoniles 1-7 each with
transverse suture, becoming laterally more wilh 1 each.
prominent on pcreonitcs 5-7; coxae 2-5 not Pleopod I with both rami distally rounded,
prominent in dorsal view, all coxae with endopodabout 3 timesas long as wide, about0.5
prominent entire oblique carina; postcmlatcral as wide as exopod*. exopod with -20 PMS and
angles ofcoxae 5-7 acuie. Pleonites all visible, spine at proximolaleral margin, endopod with
pleonites2-5 with finely noduloseposteriormar- -It) PMS. Pleopod 2 exopod and endopod with
gin Pleotelson wilh submarginal nodule at -26and9PMS respectively,appendix masculina
anterolateral angle; lateral margins obscurely distally cuiving slightly towards lateral margin,
thickened, dorsal surface with 3 distinci lon- apexextendingbeyonddistal marginoframusby
gitudinal ridges consisting of median ridge halfofits length. Pleopods 3-5 with similar, ex-
flanked by furtherridge on either side; posterior opodseach with the distal margin rounded, each
margin evenly rounded, with 4 spines setamong with transverse suture and wilh about 25 PMS:
PMS.
endopodseachwith-10,6andOPMS respective-
Antennulcpedunclerobust,2.5timesaslone* as ly. Uropod exopod about 0.9 times as long as
width atarticle 2, articles 1 and 2 partially fused, endopod, straight, about 3 times as long as
article 3 about half as long as the eomhined
proximalwidth,lateral marginstraight,irregular-
lteenngdtihnsgotofaanrtteicrlieosroIfapncdre2o;niftleag2e,lwliulmhs9hoarrtt,icelxe-s ly notched wilh4 short spines, each set in notch,
and 7 PMS, medial margin with 2 spines among
bearingconspicuoussprayofaesthctascs.Anten-
na peduncle dorsoventrally compressed, article PMS, apex subctiually bifid with clusterofsetae
a1r-t3icslheor5t:,falratgicellelsu4mlwointghesatb,ou1t.49tiarmteisclleos,ngeexrtetnhda-n alantderaslmamlalrgsipniniendweinttheidnwiaptihca4lPnMoStcha;nden1dsoppionde
ing to posteriorofpereonite2. adjacenttoapex,medial marginserrate,smoothly
Frontal lamina pentagonal, abouttwiceas long convex, wilh 3 stout peg-like spines set amotig
as wide, lateral margins weakly concave, with 2 PMS; apex subequully hifid with clusterofsetae
submedian grooves. Mandible incisor narrow. and twosmall spines within apical notch,
NEWMARINEISOPODS 47
FIG. 3. Neocirolana tricristata sp. nov. A, dorsal view; B lateral view; C, frons; D, antennule; E, antenna; F,
antennule, showingspreadofaesthetascs;G, maxillulc, lateral lobe; H,maxilliped; I,maxilla; J, mandible; K,
maxillule,medial lobe in oblique view. Scale = 1.Omm.
48 MEMOIRSOFTHEQUEENSLANDMUSEUM
FIG.4.Neocirolanatricristatasp. nov. A,pereopod 1; B,pereopod 1,dactylus, medialview;C,pereopod2; D,
pereopod6; E,pereopod7.
NEWMARINE ISOPODS 49
FIG. 5.Neocirolanatricristatasp. nov. A-D, pleopods 1-3,5 respectively; E, uropod.
Remarks setae. In contrast, in N. bicrista the maxilla has
This species is readily separated from others no large circurnplumose setae on the media]
of the genus by the three prominent pleotel- lobe and has prominent recurved setae on the
sonic ridges and the antennular morphology. middle and lateral lobes; the maxilliped has
Neocirolana bicrista has two ridges on the culicular setules along both margins of the
pleotelson and a third weakly defined median palp, but few setae, and the mediodistal angles
ridge. N. tricristata has a maxilla and maxi- are scarcely produced and have only 1 or 2
lliped that are similar to that of Cirolana, the short setae. The pereopods of N. tricristata
maxilliped having the mediodistal angles of differfrom thatofN. bicristabeing morerobust
2-4
palp articles somewhat produced and and in having a prominent spine opposing the
lobate, and provided with abundant slender dactylus base and a prominent secondary un-
50 MEMOIRS OFTHEQUEENSLANDMUSEUM
gurs to the dactylus, both ofthese being minute forts in that region, and itsrange may notextend
in Af bicrista. tothat area.
.
The antennule flagellumhas a dense massof
aesthetascs, and is similar in form to a cul- Neocirolana hcrmitensis (Boone* 1918)
lynophore (Lowry, 1986). The definition of a
callynophore includesthe totalorpartial Alston Cirolanahermiiensis&oonc, 1918:592. pi.JI,
of the proximal articles (Lowry, 1986), and as fig. 2; Hale, 1925: 132
the articles of.V. tricriuata arc unmodified in Neactrolatia htrmitensis. Bruce. 1981: 956;
that way, norarethey particularlyenlarged, the 1986* 202, f\p> 140, 141; Javed & Yasmccn,
aesthctasc mass is not regarded as a cal- 1990: 72. table 1.
lynophore
MaterialExamined
Etymology
From the Latin crista = ridge, alluding to the !T3I2aM48O.R8*E,SE19A.Octd.198O2,xllcowy wabtlearnsdp,rinIgO°le5v9e.l0,*eSx,
three pboteJsonic ridges. Dardunus sp. A.J. Bruce . NTMCrO02282; 9, ovig,
Hibernia Reef. 1 1°59'S, 123D22,E, 15 May 1992, 0-
Neocirolana excisa (Richardson, 1910) 0.5oUDflreefflQatMinWTurboshellwithCalcinusgaimar-
diK J Short, 14232; 3 d, 2 5, ovig, 'Ann
Cirolunaexcisa Richardson, 1910: 6. figs4,5; MilUcent' wreck, Carrier Reef, WA, 12°32.8'S,
Nierstrasz, 1931: 156; Bruce, 1980; 127, 128. 123 32.9*E, 4 May 1992, intertidal, in Bursa
Neocirolana excisa: Bruce, 1981: 957; 1986: granulans shell, R. Williams & B. Russel,
207. figs 144, 145; Javed& Yasmeen, 1990: 72, NTMCr0O9613; tJt 8, non-ovig, North West Island,
AshmoreReef,21 Sept 1987, intertidal,exDardanus\
table 1. H, Larson, NTMCr005981. TORRES STRAIT:
Juvenile, 10°02'S. 142°3rE,21 Apr 1974, 13m, Qld
MaterialExamined Fisheries Service, QMW17960; d. 9°56.2S,
ARAFURA SEA: V, non-ovig, 10,J32,6'S, 141°55.5E. 3 Apr 1989, 39m, dredged, BRR.
134°16.6'E, 13 Oct 1992, 60m, R.W. Williams. QMW18714; o\ 10°22.4*S, 141°30.3,E 4Ma\ 1989.
NTMO009778; 6, 11C'IK.3\S. I29°24.0'E. 21 Nov 65m, dredged, BRR, QMW18716. 1
1989, 34.7m, BRR, QMW18710: 2. ll'W.O'S,
132o47.l>'E,30 0ct 1989. 18.3m. BRR,QMWl*7 1
NORTHERN TERRITORY: <J, Channel Is, Darwi1n, REMARKS
20 Aug 1982, ex sponge 'A'. Ilm, P. Horner, This species is regularly recorded from
NTMCrtX)5822; 3 9,2 ovig, I non-ovig, Coral Bay, gastropod shells that arc, or have recently been
Port Essington, Coburg Peninsula, 11 Aug 1986, ex occupied by hermit crabs prior to collection,
sponge, R. Williams, NTMCK)04142; 9, non-ovig. usually by species of Dardanus. Recently a
n1o9r8t3h.o4f0Wme,ssWe.lIHsoluasndt,on1,6°N3T2."5M'CSr,O102219D7264..5'GEU,L1F7AOpFr specimen was collected by J.D. Shields at Bird
CB10RA°RR0.P4Q,ErMNSWT,1AI9R471I1CA52:4..4'2E,d,1 Afparr !n9o8r9t.hedrrnedgGeudl,f,61.Q0lmd,. DIsshaleerltdl,awLnaiuzssarcsdrcauIciskeleUadantdouspin.enaTshtsoeocriieasmtoiopoovndewltiehtfethcwarhafebe,nmaatnlhdee
immediately swamtotheovigeroushostandwas
Remarics seen to be eating the eggs. The remains of eggs
Previously known from two records only, the were alsoobservedinitsguL. Itseemsvery prob-
species is not uncommon along Australia's able, therefore, that Neocirolana hermitensis is
northern coasts from the intertidal toadepth of an egg predator, ahabit which has been recorded
6b1eemn; ttawkoenrefcrorodmscaorrcalfrroemefsphoabnigteast.sIatnhdasmnaoyt iontlmyphfioprodon(eBsopwecmiaens o&f Wdeaespm-ewra,te1r9l8y4s)i,anbaustsoniodt
inhabit only inshore and offshore habitats with previously for the Cirolanidae, nor any other
marine isopod.
a high silt load.
Distribution DISTRIBUTION
Originally recorded (Richardson, 1910) from Most records are from offshore coral reef
the Philippines, the species is now recorded habitats around the Australian coast, with the
from Australia's tropical northern waters from exception ofone record from inshore coral reefs
the Arafura Sea to Torres Strait at depths from at Port Essington, NT (Bruce. 1986); from the
11 to61m. It has notbeen collected from tropi- MontebcHo Islands, WA, U> Lizard Island, Qld,
cal eastern Queensland, despite collecting ef- Australia.