Int. J. Aquat. Biol. (2023) 11(2): 115-118 ISSN: 2322-5270; P-ISSN: 2383-0956 Journal homepage: www.ij-aquaticbiology.com © 2023 Iranian Society of Ichthyology Original Article The leucosiid crabs of the Iraqi coast with a new record of Nursia plicata (Herbst, 1803) Amaal Gh. Yasser1, 2, Murtada D. Naser1,2 1Marine Science Centre, University of Basrah, Basrah, Iraq. 2School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, 170 Kessels Road, Nathan, Queensland, 4111, Australia. Article history: Received 20 February 2023 Accepted 24 March 2023 Available online 2 5 April 2023 Keywords: Iraqi marine waters, Morphological traits, Leucosiidae. Abstract: The leucosiid crabs are common species that can be found on soft sediments ranging in depth from the intertidal flat to the shelf and slop. The Leucosiid crab, Nursia plicata (Herbst, 1803), is reported in this study based on the collection of two specimens in April 2019 from the Iraqi Marin waters. Photographs and illustrations of the species and its external morphological traits and the first male gonapod G1 are given. Introduction There are many records of decapod crabs from the Iraqi coast of the Persian Gulf (Naser, 2009, 2011, 2018, 2019; Ng et al., 2012; Naser et al., 2010; Naser, 2011; Naser et al., 2012; Naser et al., 2013; Yasser and Naser, 2019a, b; Yasser et al., 2021). There are three subfamilies within the Leucosiidae viz. Leucosiinae Samouelle, 1819, Cryptocneminae Stimpson, 1907, and Ebaliinae Stimpson, 1871 (Ng et al., 2008; Emmerson, 2016). The leucosiid taxonomic statute is not, however, well-defined. There are 7 species of leucosiid crabs in the Iraqi coast, including Arcania erinacea Fabricius, 1787, Ixa holthuisi Tirmizi, 1970, Seulocia anahita Galil, 2005 (Yasser and Naser, 2019), Hiplyra sagitta Galil, 2009 (Al-Khafaji et al., 2017), H. elegans Gravier, 1920 (Al-Maliky et al., 2020), Lyphira perplexa Galil, 2009 (Al-Maliky, 2020), and L. heterograna (Ortmann, 1892) (Al-Maliky and Al- Maliky, 2021). The genus Nursia Leach, 1817 consists of three species in the Persian Gulf, namely N. blandfordi Alcock, 1896, N. persica Alcock, 1896 and N. plicata (Herbst, 1803). Nursia plicata is already recorded from the Kuwaiti coast (Apel, 2001). This work aimed to record N. plicata as a new Correspondence: Murtada D. Naser DOI: https://doi.org/10.22034/ijab.v11i2.1861 E-mail: murtada.naser@uobasrah.edu.iq DOR: https://dorl.net/dor/20.1001.1.23830956.2023.11.2.4.6 record family leucosiidae from the northwest of the Persian Gulf on the Iraqi coast. Materials and Methods Nursia plicata was collected in April 2019 from two locations along the Iraqi shore of the northwest Persian Gulf (Fig. 1). The samples were preserved in 95% ethanol and deposited at the Marine Science Center (MSC), University of Basrah, Iraq, with a collection voucher of MSC401. The specimens were photographed with a digital camera (Nikon D7100). The abbreviations “CL” and “CW” are used for the length of the carapace from the front to the posterior dorsal margin, and the width of the carapace at its widest point, respectively. The measurements of the species are reported to the closest millimeter and were taken with an electronic caliper. The systematics of this species was adapted from Naderloo and Sari (2005) and Naderloo (2017). Results Nursia plicata (Herbst, 1803) (Figs. 2A-B) Cancer plicatus Herbst 1803: 2, 3, pl 59, fig 2, Nursia plicata — Alcock 1896: 179 (in key), 180, 116 Yasser et al./ The leucosiid crabs of the Iraqi coast with a new record of Nursia plicata 181; Stephensen 1946: 70, fig 6c; Titgen 1982: 248 (in list); Sakai 1999: 16; Apel 2001: 54; Naderloo and Sari 2005a: 35, fig 5, 2007a: 342, tab 1; Ng et al. 2008: 92 (in list). Nursia plicata plicata — Campbell and Stephenson 1970: 249 (in key). Type locality: “Ostindien”. East India or Indo- Malayan Archipelago. Material examined: two specimens, 1♂ CL. 19.0 mm, CW. 13.8 mm; 1♂ CL. 21.9 mm, CW. 16mm. Carapace nearly pentagonal, slightly wider than long, with two semicircular lobes on posterior margin (Fig. 2A). Front barely visible beyond eyes, with a thickened granular edge. Third maxillipeds, pterygostomian regions, thoracic sterna, and proximal part of male abdomen having granular surfaces (Fig. 2B). The manus is longer than the finger, the carpus has an upper and inner surface covered in very minute granules, and chelipeds long Figure 1. Sampling sites (red dots). Figure 2. Nursia plicata (Herbst, 1804): A: carapace, B: abdomen of male; CW. 13.8 mm. (Photographs by M.D. Naser). Figure 3. Nursia plicata (Herbst, 1804): First male gonopod G1. 117 Int. J. Aquat. Biol. (2023) 11(2): 115-118 and stout. First gonopod sinuous, proximally setose, and distally bent (Fig. 3). The previous records of the Leucosiid crabs from northwest of the Persian Gulf from Iraqi coasts are shown in Table 1. Discussion The Leucosiidae family is widespread in the Red Sea, the Gulf of Oman, and the Persian Gulf. Of all the brachyuran families, this one is the most diversified and widely distributed (Stephensen, 1946; Titgen, 1982; Apel, 2001; Naderloo and Türkay, 2012). About 16.6% of the brachyuran crab species in the Persian Gulf belong to the Leucosiidae family (Apel, 2001). The reported leucosiid species in the Persian Gulf has increased to 37 according to Naderloo and Apel (2012) and Naderloo and Türkay (2012). Recently, Al-Maliky and Al-Maliky (2021) listed Lyphira heterograna (Ortmann, 1892) for the first time from Iraqi marine waters, which may raise the number of this family to 38 species in the Persian Gulf. However, we can’t confirm the identity of L. heterograna reported by Al-Maliky and Al- Maliky (2021) due to the poor quality of the picture. Most leucosiid crabs from the Iraqi coast belong to the subfamily Ebaliinae, except the leucosiid Seulocia anahita Galil, 2005 which belongs to the subfamily Leucosiinae. The Indo-West Pacific genus Nursia Leach, 1817, contains 20 species (Ng et al., 2008). Most of its species are distinguished by their plate-like appearance with distinct ridges on the dorsal surface of the carapace. This genus is extremely diverse and needs further revision. There are three species of the genus Nursia in the Persian Gulf, with only one species recorded from the northwest of the Persian Gulf. Nursia plicata is widely distributed in the Persian Gulf: Iran (Naderloo and Sari 2005; Naderloo and Sari 2007), and Kuwait (Apel, 2001). Alcock (1896) recorded this species from an unknown locality. There is no record from the Gulf of Oman. The distribution of this species in the world is Indo-West Pacific: Persian Gulf, India, Palk Straits, Mumbai, China, Hong Kong, and Japan. This species is found at the subtidal 3-20 m, living on a sandy substrate with clay and stones. Acknowledgements We thank R. Naderloo (School of Biology, University of Tehran, Iran), for his valuable comments. References Al-Maliky T.H. (2020). New records of Leucosiid crabs Lyphira perplexa Galil, 2009 (Crustacea; Decapoda; Leucosiidae) in the northwest of the Gulf–Iraq. Indo Pacific Journal of Ocean Life, 4(1): 1-3. Al-Maliky T.H., Al-Maliky A.M. (2021). 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