The apparent rediscovery of Nematopagurus scutellichelis Alcock, 1905 (Decapoda: Anomura: Paguroidea: Paguridae) in the South China Sea, with notes on other regional species of the genus

摘要

The accuracy of records of species of the hermit crab genus Nematopagurus occurring in the South China Sea has been evaluated using collections from the Hainan Island region. Information gleaned from this material strongly suggests that previous reports have been inaccurate. None of the reported four species, N. gardineri Alcock, N. indicus Alcock, N. muricatus (Henderson), and N. squamichelis Alcock have been recognized among the extensive collections of the Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, People's Republic of China. Nevertheless, a total of seven species of Nematopagurus have been identified, including what appears to be TV. scutellichelis Alcock. If correct, this would be the first record of this species since its original description. The other six are also known species; however, most represent new distributional records.