Gonodactylus Berthold, 1827

Gonodactylus Berthold, 1827 View in CoL View at ENA

Gonodactylus Berthold, 1827: 271 View in CoL . [ Type species Squilla chiragra Fabricius, 1781 , by subsequent designation. Gender masculine].

Diagnosis (after Ahyong 2012). Eye subcylindrical, cornea not broader than stalk in dorsal view. Ocular scales large, wider than basal width of median spine of rostral plate, distinctly wider than high, flattened dorsally. Rostral plate with slender median spine and short, broad, trapezoid basal portion. Anterolateral margins of carapace convex, extending anteriorly beyond base of rostral plate. Mandibular palp present. Propodus of raptorial claw with or without proximal movable spine in adults. Telson with 3 mid-dorsal carinae. IM carina of telson without accessory longitudinal carina on mesial margin; anus located ventrally. Uropodal protopod without lobes between primary terminal spines; endopod without spines on inner margin.

Composition. Gonodactylus acutirostris de Man, 1898 ; G. botti Manning, 1975b ; G. childi Manning, 1971a ; G. chiragra ( Fabricius, 1781) ; G. cf. chiragra ; G. platysoma Wood-Mason, 1895 ; G. smithii Pocock, 1893 .

Remarks. The largest Gonodactylidae are members of Gonodactylus . All six species are found in the Indo-West Pacific region associated with coral or rock-reefs and inhabiting holes in rock and coral rubble. Of these, four occur in South African waters and include a potentially undescribed species.

Key to the species of Gonodactylus View in CoL [South African in bold]

1. Telson without LT tooth, with margin of telson between anterolateral angle and apex of IM tooth unbroken. Ocular scales extending laterally almost to anterolateral angle of rostral plate....................................... G. platysoma

– Telson with LT tooth indicated by shallow notch in margin of telson between anterolateral angle and apex of IM tooth. Ocular scales not extending laterally to anterolateral angle of rostral plate.............................................. 2

2. Lateral margins of rostral plate strongly divergent........................................................... 3

– Lateral margins of rostral plate subparallel or slightly divergent................................................. 4

3. Anterolateral angles of rostral plate spinular...................................................... G. acutirostris

– Anterolateral angles of rostral plate ( Fig. 10A, D View FIGURE 10 ) blunt or angular, but not spinular.......................... G. smithii

4. Rostral plate ( Fig. 9D View FIGURE 9 ) with anterior margins deeply concave........................................... G. chiragra

– Rostral plate with anterior margins transverse or slightly concave............................................... 5

5. Telson with sharp IM teeth........................................................................ G. childi

– Telson ( Fig. 8H View FIGURE 8 ) with blunt IM teeth...................................................................... 6

6. Anterior margin of ocular scales ( Fig. 8A, C View FIGURE 8 ) transverse.................................................. G. botti

– Anterior margin of ocular scales laterally slopping................................................ G. cf. chiragra