Figure 1.
Distribution of Epilobocera capolongoi (circles) and E. cubensis (triangles) in central Cuba, depicting the previous records (orange circles) and new records (red circles) of E. capolongoi: 1) Tributary source of Higuanojo river, 2) La Sabina ranger station, 3) tributary source of Banao river, and 4) Banao river, near María Antonia ranger station; the westernmost new record (above) corresponds with Pico San Juan Ecological Reserve. Green shadings and contours depict protected areas. The two-headed orange arrow depicts the narrow strip of heights connecting the Trinidad Heights in the west and the Sancti Spíritus Heights in the east, assumed here as a putative communication pathway between the two presumably allopatric subpopulations of E. capolongoi.
Figure 2.
Localities where Epilobocera capolongoi was collected in Lomas de Banao Ecological Reserve. Upper left, tributary source of Banao river; upper right, tributary source of Higuanojo river. Lower left, Banao river, near María Antonia ranger station. Lower right, view from La Sabina ranger station, after a heavy rain.
Figure 3.
Habitat (above) and landscape (below) in Pico San Juan Ecological Reserve, Cienfuegos province, where a female Epilobocera capolongoi carrying offspring was observed in mountain rainforest at 1,000 m elevation.
Figure 4.
Adult male Epilobocera capolongoi (CZACC 5.0047) (A-G) and adult male E. cubensis (CZACC 5.0050) (H-N) from Lomas de Banao Ecological Reserve. A, H, Habitus, dorsal view; B, I, habitus, ventral view; C, J, carapace, dorsal view; D, K, carapace, frontal view; E, L, third maxilliped; F, M, sternal surface; G, N, pleon. All the images were taken soon after death (keeping the coloration in life), except E and L (after preservation). The white outline in A and B represent the missing second and third left walking legs. Scale bars = 10 mm.
Figure 5.
Adult female Epilobocera capolongoi (CZACC 5.0045) (A-D) and subadult female E. cubensis (CZACC 5.0059) (E-H) from Lomas de Banao Ecological Reserve. A, E, Habitus, dorsal view; B, F, habitus, ventral view; C, D, G, H, sternal surface, with detail of the vulvae (D, H). All the images were taken soon after death (keeping the coloration in life), except H (after preservation). Scale bars = 10 mm.
Figure 6.
Right first gonopod of an adult male of Epilobocera capolongoi (CZACC 5.0047) (A-G) and E. cubensis (CZACC 5.0050) (H-N) from Lomas de Banao Ecological Reserve. A, H, whole structure, cephalic view; B, I, whole structure, caudo-mesial view; C, J, distal portion, cephalic view; D, K, distal portion, caudal view; E, L, distal portion, apical view; F, M, distal portion, mesial view; G, N, distal portion, lateral view. Abbreviations: Mesial lobe (ml), intermediate plate (ip), spines of mesial process (s), terminal process (tp), caudal process (cp), lateral process (lp), cephalic margin (cm), mesial angle of cephalic margin (ma). Scale bars = 1 mm.
Figure 7.
Variation of five morphometric ratios between Epilobocera capolongoi and E. cubensis: CA, carapace width/length; RC, right chela length/width; LC, left chela length/width; RM, right merus length/width; LM, left merus length/width (see ).
Figure 8.
Chelipeds of an adult male Epilobocera capolongoi (CZACC 5.0047) (A-D) and of an adult male E. cubensis (CZACC 5.0050) (E-H) from Lomas de Banao Ecological Reserve. A, E, Right chela in outer (above) and inner (below) views; B, F, left chela in outer (above) and inner (below) views; C, G, right carpus in dorsal view; D, H, right merus in dorsal (above), inner (middle), and inner-lower (below) views. All the images were taken soon after death (keeping the coloration in life), except G and H below (after preservation). Scale bars = 10 mm.
Figure 9.
Detail of frontal region of Epilobocera capolongoi (upper left: CZACC 5.0047; lower left: CZACC 5.0045) and E. cubensis (upper right: CZACC 5.0050; lower right: CZACC 5.0051), showing variation in the shape of the epistome and the branchial efferent channel openings.
Figure 10.
Adult female of Epilobocera capolongoi (CZACC 5.0045) found active at night in the tributary source of Higuanojo river on 10 November 2018. Photo by Aslam I. Castellón.
Figure 11.
Adult female of Epilobocera capolongoi found carrying offspring in mountain rainforest on 5 October 2013, Pico San Juan Ecological Reserve, Cienfuegos province. Notice the very broad exopodite of the third maxilliped, which is a diagnostic character of this species. Photos by Ruben Marrero.
Figure 12.
Female of Epilobocera cubensis poliorcetes found carrying offspring at night on 7 November 2018 on a mountain path about 700 m NW of Jarico ranger station, Lomas de Banao Ecological Reserve, Sancti Spíritus province. Photos by Aslam I. Castellón.
Table 1.
Comparison of ornamentation on the cheliped merus and coloration in life between Epilobocera capolongoi and E. cubensis. Abbreviations: TRTOM (irregular transverse rows of tubercles on the outer margin), TIUM (teeth on the inner upper margin), TILM (teeth on the inner lower margin).
Measurements
of the specimens of Epilobocera capolongoi and E. cubensis from Lomas de Banao Ecological Reserve. Abbreviations: L = length, W = width, H = height, J = juvenile, R = ratio. The merus is that of the chelipeds. Hyphens indicate a missing appendage. Mean of ratios is expressed ± standard deviation (SD), accounting only for specimens with a carapace length above 20 mm.