Calcinus albengai Poupin & Lemaitre, 2003
Illustrations. - • Holotype male shield length 3.8 mm, eep-water variant, Marotiri Isles, 100–120 m (MNHN Pg 6359). Copyright L. Albenga. • Shallow-water variant, male shield length 3.5 mm, Rapa Island, 53 m (MNHN Pg 6382). Copyright A. Albenga. • Details: a) anterior shield; b) left chela (holotype male); c) same (female paratype); d) right chela; f) telson. After Poupin & Lemaitre (2003, fig. 2). • Details : d-e) left P2-P3 (deep water variant); h) left P3 (shallow water variant). After Poupin & Lemaitre (2003, fig. 2).
References. - Calcinus albengai Poupin & Lemaitre, 2003 (type locality: Marotiri Isles, Austral Islands, French Polynesia).
Shield and cephalic appendages. - Ocular scale with a single terminal spine. Species of normal size, i.e. shield length often greater than 2–3 mm. Anterodorsal plate of branchiostegite unarmed on dorsal margin or with 1–2 spinules subproximally.
Chelipeds (P1). - Upper margin of right chela tuberculated or spinous (4 spines). Outer face of left palm regularly convex.
Ambulatory legs (P2-P3). - Dorsolateral margins of P3 propodi rounded. Dactyl of P3 subequal to propodus or slightly shorter. Distal pilosity of P3 weak, similar to distal P2. Ventral margin of P3 dactyl with less than 10 spines.
Armament of telson. - Left lobe of telson with a single spine. Right lobe with a single spine.
Coloration. - Shield orange (white to cream on small sp.). Ocular peduncle multicolored with narrow ring close to cornea, or with spots (orange with white spots and distal white ring). Detailed coloration of ocular peduncle: bright orange with white spots and distal white ring close to cornea. Distal antennular peduncle white to cream. Distal antennal peduncle yellow-orange (with white median band on dorsal face). Chela uniformly colored, often grading to paler distally (bright orange). Ambulatory legs (P2 & P3) with spots (bright orange with white spots).
Habitat. - Shallow-waters, deep (shallow water variant: low intertidal to 50 m; deep water variant: 50–280 m).
Geographic distribution. - French Polynesia, Australs Islands (Rapa). Indo-West Pacific.
Remarks. - This species has two colour variants, one with pale pink to cream chelipeds that lives in shallow-water from the intertidal to about 50 m, the other with bright orange chelipeds, from deeper waters from about 50 to 280 m.
