Linuparus meridionalis
Encyclopedia
Linuparus meridionalis is a species of spiny lobster
in the genus Linuparus
. It lives on the sea floor around Australia
, New Caledonia
and parts of Indonesia
, at depths of 71 metre. Formerly considered part of L. trigonus, it was recognised as a separate species in 2011, based on variation in colouration, and subtle morphological differences.
, off New Caledonia
, and among the Indonesia
n Tanimbar Islands
. L. meridionalis is benthic (lives on the sea floor), and feeds on various molluscs
, crustacean
s and other invertebrate
s. Females may carry eggs at any time from February to October.
length of 125 millimetres (4.9 in), with females only slightly smaller, at 122 mm (4.8 in). The body is "generally half brownish red and half white". The second to fifth somite
s of the abdomen are generally white, at least in the posterior half.
and Taiwan
, and was given the specific epithet , meaning "southern", since the new species occurs only in the Southern Hemisphere
. L. meridionalis is separated from L. trigonus by the pattern of colours on the body, and by subtle differences in the shape of the sternum
. The other two extant species of Linuparus are less closely related.
Spiny lobster
Spiny lobsters, also known as langouste or rock lobsters, are a family of about 45 species of achelate crustaceans, in the Decapoda Reptantia...
in the genus Linuparus
Linuparus
Linuparus is a genus of spiny lobsters in the family Palinuridae. It contains four extant species, and 32 fossil species, ranging from the Early Cretaceous to the Oligocene...
. It lives on the sea floor around Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, New Caledonia
New Caledonia
New Caledonia is a special collectivity of France located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, east of Australia and about from Metropolitan France. The archipelago, part of the Melanesia subregion, includes the main island of Grande Terre, the Loyalty Islands, the Belep archipelago, the Isle of...
and parts of Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
, at depths of 71 metre. Formerly considered part of L. trigonus, it was recognised as a separate species in 2011, based on variation in colouration, and subtle morphological differences.
Distribution and ecology
Linuparus meridionalis is found in at depths of 71–315 m (232.9–1,033.5 ) around the northern and eastern coasts of AustraliaAustralia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, off New Caledonia
New Caledonia
New Caledonia is a special collectivity of France located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, east of Australia and about from Metropolitan France. The archipelago, part of the Melanesia subregion, includes the main island of Grande Terre, the Loyalty Islands, the Belep archipelago, the Isle of...
, and among the Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
n Tanimbar Islands
Tanimbar Islands
The Tanimbar Islands, also called Timor Laut, are a group of about 65 islands in the Maluku province of Indonesia, including Fordata, Larat, Maru, Molu, Nuswotar, Selaru, Selu, Seira, Wotap, Wuliaru and Yamdena.-Geography:...
. L. meridionalis is benthic (lives on the sea floor), and feeds on various molluscs
Mollusca
The Mollusca , common name molluscs or mollusksSpelled mollusks in the USA, see reasons given in Rosenberg's ; for the spelling mollusc see the reasons given by , is a large phylum of invertebrate animals. There are around 85,000 recognized extant species of molluscs. Mollusca is the largest...
, crustacean
Crustacean
Crustaceans form a very large group of arthropods, usually treated as a subphylum, which includes such familiar animals as crabs, lobsters, crayfish, shrimp, krill and barnacles. The 50,000 described species range in size from Stygotantulus stocki at , to the Japanese spider crab with a leg span...
s and other invertebrate
Invertebrate
An invertebrate is an animal without a backbone. The group includes 97% of all animal species – all animals except those in the chordate subphylum Vertebrata .Invertebrates form a paraphyletic group...
s. Females may carry eggs at any time from February to October.
Description
Linuparus meridionalis males grow to a carapaceCarapace
A carapace is a dorsal section of the exoskeleton or shell in a number of animal groups, including arthropods such as crustaceans and arachnids, as well as vertebrates such as turtles and tortoises. In turtles and tortoises, the underside is called the plastron.-Crustaceans:In crustaceans, the...
length of 125 millimetres (4.9 in), with females only slightly smaller, at 122 mm (4.8 in). The body is "generally half brownish red and half white". The second to fifth somite
Somite
A somite is a division of the body of an animal. In vertebrates this is mainly discernible in the embryo stage; in arthropods it is a characteristic of a hypothetical ancestor.- In vertebrates :...
s of the abdomen are generally white, at least in the posterior half.
Taxonomy
Until 2011, L. meridionalis was considered part of L. trigonus. Doubts were expressed as early as 1967 that the two populations belonged to the same species, but no convincing character could be found to separate them. In 2011, it was formally described as a separate species by scientists from Hong KongHong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
and Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
, and was given the specific epithet , meaning "southern", since the new species occurs only in the Southern Hemisphere
Southern Hemisphere
The Southern Hemisphere is the part of Earth that lies south of the equator. The word hemisphere literally means 'half ball' or "half sphere"...
. L. meridionalis is separated from L. trigonus by the pattern of colours on the body, and by subtle differences in the shape of the sternum
Sternum
The sternum or breastbone is a long flat bony plate shaped like a capital "T" located anteriorly to the heart in the center of the thorax...
. The other two extant species of Linuparus are less closely related.