Smethis corallica sp. nov. is described from specimens dredged from the lagoon at Chesterfield Reefs, Coral Sea. This is the first record of a member of the Smethinae outside of the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of America. S. corallica differs from the other two described species by the shapes of the rostrum, antennal peduncle, third maxilliped, female spermathecal openings and the first male pleopod.

LAGON

The genus Platepistoma Rathbun, 1906, is reviewed and considered ta be valid and not a subgenus of Cancer Linnaeus, 1758. Three new species are described viz. P. nanum, P. kiribatiense and P. seychellense. They are mainly separated on the distinctness of the carapace regions, extent of dorsal granulation of the carapace, and shape of the telson of the male abdomen. The genus is considered to contain seven species, and a key is provided. The name Platepistorna anaglyptum Balss, 1922, is resurrected and the synonymy clarified. Cancer balssii Zarenkov, 1990, is placed in Platepistoma. Cancer (Glebocarcinus) Nations, 1975, is also considered a valid taxon and provisionally allowed to remain as a subgenus of Cancer; it contains at least Cancer oregonensis Rathbun, 1898, and C. amphioetus Rathbun, 1898. Platepistoma is restricted to deeper water, mostly greater than 350 m, in the Indo-West Pacific Oceans, and this is briefly discussed in relation to recent biogeographic theories.

AZTEQUE, CHALCAL 2, MD08 (BENTHOS), MUSORSTOM 4, SMCB, SMIB 2, SMIB 4

A new species of the previously monotypic genus Intesius, I. crosnieri, is described from 500 m depth in French Polynesia. New records of I. pilosus Guinot et Richer de Forges, 1981 are also recorded from off north Queensland, Australia. The two species can be easily separated by the shape of the carapace and anterolateral teeth. Figures are provided of both species.

SMCB

Echinolatus n. gen. is described for four species, E. bullatum (Balss, 1923), from the Juan Fernandez Islands off Chile, E. caledonicum (Moosa, 1996) from New Caledonia, E. proximum n. sp. from French Polynesia, and E. poorei n. sp. from the Great Australian Bight and southern Victoria. The first two species had been previously attributed to Nectocarcinus A. Milne Edwards, 1860. Echinolatus is characterised by a subhexagonal carapace, a quadrilobate front, at least the last pair of anterolateral carapace teeth, and usually others, bearing spinules or spiniform denticles on the anterior margins, the chelipeds having the carpus armed with a long pointed tooth at its anterointernal angle which also has a smaller strong tooth basally. E. bullatum is redescribed.

BENTHAUS, NORFOLK 2

AZTEQUE, BATHUS 1, BATHUS 2, BATHUS 3, BERYX 2, BIOCAL, CHALCAL 1, CHALCAL 2, GEMINI, HALIPRO 1, MUSORSTOM 4, MUSORSTOM 5, MUSORSTOM 6, MUSORSTOM 7, SMCB, SMIB 1, SMIB 2, SMIB 3, SMIB 4, SMIB 5, SMIB 6, SMIB 8, VOLSMAR

SMCB

A new species of Ilyoplax, I. danielae, is described from the Philippines. It differs from its closest congeners, I. stapletoni (De Man, 1908), I. ningpoensis Shen, 1940, and I. formosensis Rathbun, 1921, by differences in carapace shape and proportions, shape and dentition of the chela and the morphologies of the walking legs and male first gonopods.

PANGLAO 2004, PANGLAO 2005

Convergence and subduction started in the Late Palaeocene, to the east of New Caledonia, in the South Loyalty Basin/Loyalty Basin, leading to the formation of the Subduction-Obduction Complex of Grande Terre. Convergence during the Eocene consumed the oceanic South Loyalty Basin, and the north easternmost margin of Zealandia (the Norfolk Ridge). The attempted subduction of the Norfolk Ridge led eventually to the end-Eocene obduction. Intra-oceanic subduction started in the South Loyalty Basin, as indicated by high-temperature amphibolite (56 Ma), boninite- and adakite-series dykes (55-50 Ma), and changes in sedimentation regime (55 Ma). The South Loyalty Basin and its margin were dragged to a maximum depth of 70 km, forming the high pressure – low temperature Pouébo Terrane and the Diahot-Panié Metamorphic Complex, before being exhumed at 38-34 Ma. The obduction complex was formed by the stacking from NE to SW of several allochthonous units over autochthonous Zealandia, which include the Montagnes Blanches Nappe (Norfolk Ridge crust), the Poya Terrane (crust of the South Loyalty Basin), and the Peridotite Nappe (mantle lithosphere of the Loyalty Basin). A model of continental subduction accepted by most authors is proposed and discussed. Offshore continuations and comparable units in Papua-New Guinea and New Zealand are presented.

KANACONO

PAKAIHI I TE MOANA