A new species of Carcinonemertes (Nemertea: Enopla: Carcinonemertidae) from the egg masses of Naxia aurita (Latreille) (Decapoda: Brachyura: Majidae) collected in the Albany region of Western Australia

Abstract

A new species of Carcinonemertes, C. humesi, is described and illustrated. The nemerteans were found on egg masses of ovigerous Naxia aurita (Latreille) collected near Albany, Western Australia. Members of the nemertean genus Carcinonemertes are all brood parasites of decapod Crustacea (Wickham, 1986). Six species, one of which is subdivided into two varieties, have been described: these are C. australiensis Campbell, Gibson and Evans, 1989, C. carcinophila (Kölliker, 1845) (with the varieties C. c. carcinophila (Kölliker, 1845) and C. c. imminuta Humes, 1942), C. coei Humes, 1942, C. epialti Coe, 1902, C. errans Wickham, 1978, and C. mitsukurii Takakura, 1910; a further species C. regicides MS name, is to be described by Shields, Wickham and Kuris. Campbell et al. (1989) tabulate the species of decapod hosts, most of which belong in the infraorder Brachyura, recorded with carcinonemertid or unidentified nemertean parasites, and the effects of the nemerteans upon their hosts are reviewed by Wickham (1986).