Upogebia molipollex A. B. Williams 1993

Upogebia molipollex

Upogebia (Upogebia) affinis.—Schmitt, 1935:196 [Puerto Rico specimen only, not fig. 58].

MATERIAL EXAMINED.—PUERTO RICO: AMNH 6820, (holotype), Guayanilla Harbor, 25 Jun 1915.

DIAGNOSIS.—Dorsal surface of rostrum bearing only marginal spines, projections to either side of rostrum ending in acute spine. Postocular spine present. Abdominal sternites unarmed; AVI bearing slight anterolateral lobe but lacking hooked anterolateral spine. T subrectangular. Cheliped with subdistal dorsal spine of merus reaching beyond level of postorbital spine; carpus with small spine on anteromesial margin. Merus of P2 without proximal mesioventral spine, but with 1 subdistal dorsal spine; merus of P4 spineless.

DESCRIPTION.—Rostrum triangular, lateral margin longer than basal width; nearly straight in lateral view but angled slightly downward, tip exceeding eyestalks; dorsal pair of subapical spines followed on each side by 2 spines of equal size, spines separated by wide equal intervals on right side but third spine slightly more remote from others on left side; no other dorsal spines present. Posteriorly divergent lateral ridge bearing crest of about 10 spines, strongest on process lateral to rostrum and decreasing almost to obsolescence posteriorly; dorsal field of spines on anterior carapace irregular in size and arrangement, largest spines scattered in midlength of field. Shoulder lateral to cervical groove bearing 2 obsolescent granules below intersection with thalassinidean line, latter continuing strongly to posterior margin; area framed by cervical, postcervical, and antennal grooves bearing scattered obsolescent granules. Postocular spine present.

Abdominal sternites unarmed.

T bearing moderate transverse proximal ridge confluent with low longitudinal ridge to either side.

Eyestalk stout, deepest basally, almost horizontal in repose; prominent terminolateral cornea about as long as wide and nearly as wide as stalk.

A1 peduncle reaching about to base of terminal article of A2 peduncle, its proximal 2 articles together slightly longer than terminal article.

A2 peduncle with almost its length extending beyond tip of rostrum; scale moderate, oval.

Mxp3 bearing epipod.

Epistomial projection rather broad in lateral view, bearing no apical projections.

Legs slender, Chelipeds subequal, right slightly stronger. Coxa and ventral margin of ischium spineless. Merus with single obsolescent subdistal dorsal spine beyond level of postocular spine. Carpus roughly trigonal, broad shallow longitudinal groove laterally, anterior ventrolateral corner spineless; mesiodorsal crest unarmed behind acute spine on anterior margin; 2 closely placed small spines on anterodorsal margin mesial to articulation with propodus; 1 small spine near middle of anteromesial margin, and tiny spine below near distoventral corner. Chl about 3.7 times chh; spineless on dorsal ridge, lateral and mesial surfaces, and ventral keel, although latter with slight swelling at distal and near base of fixed finger; small spine near distal margin dorsal to left mesial dactylar condyle, margin below dactylar condyle unornamented; mesial surface bearing obsolescent obliquely transverse ridge near proximal margin. Fixed finger straight, shorter than dactyl, stronger on right than on left side, prehensile edge with broad crushing surface proximally, then abruptly tapered to slender distal part bearing 0 (left) –3 (right) obsolescent teeth, tip rounded. Dactyl with prehensile edge bearing ill-defined row of small teeth and moderately developed swelling opposite base of fixed finger; mesial surface somewhat concave.

P2 reaching about to midlength of palm; carpus with small acute distodorsal and subdistal ventral spine; merus with slender subdistal dorsal spine but without proximal mesioventral spine; coxa unarmed. P3 missing. P4 with spineless merus.

U with acute small spine on protopod above base of mesial ramus; distal margin of both rami with few obsolescent granules.

MEASUREMENTS (in mm).—Holotype , acl 4.2, cl 6.0, chl 3.7, chh 1.0.

KNOWN RANGE.—Known only from the type locality.