Nephropsis suhmi

Bate, 1888

Diagnosis:
Rostrum with two pairs of lateral teeth. Pleura of second abdominal somite with one or more spines on anterior margin. Abdomen without mediodorsal carina. Telson about twice as long as wide. Exopod of uropod without diaeresis.

Type:
Type locality: "Challenger" Station 191, "lat. 5°41'S, long.134°4'30"E.; off Dobba, Arrou Island [ = Dobo, Aru Islands, Indonesia); depth 800 fathoms [= 1463 m); bottom green mud". Holotype in BM, no 88.22 (in alcohol, condition fair).

Geographical Distribution:
Indo-West Pacific region: western Indian Ocean (Gulf of Aden, Arabian Sea), Madagascar, Indonesia (Makassar Strait, Aru Islands), Australia (E. of Queensland), New Caledonia.

Habitat and Biology:
Deep sea between 786 and 2029 m, most catches between 1600 and 1900 m. Substrate: mud.

Size:
Total length between 2 and 11 cm, carapace length between 0.8 and 5.9 cm.

Interest to Fisheries:
So far none. A better knowledge of its biology and occurrence may show the species to be of potential interest. The soft substrate on which it lives indicates that it could best be obtained by trawling, but the efficiency of this and other gear should be tested experimentally.

%LABEL% (%SOURCE%)