Holthuis, 1963

Diagnosis:
Postorbital spine present. No teeth, but 6 postcervical and 6 intestinal tubercles on the median keel of the carapace. Tubercles on carapace low and largely obscured by pubescence. Eyes large, much broader than long.

Type:
Type locality: "Siboga" Expedition Station 297 "between Roti and Timor, Lesser Sunda Islands, 10°39'S 123°40'E", depth 520 m, soft grey mud with brown upper layer. Holotype male in ZMA, no. De. 101.823, condition fair; paratypes in ZMA no De. 101.823 + 101.824.

Geographical Distribution:
Indo-West Pacific region: Malay Archipelago: Philippines and Indonesia.

Habitat and Biology:
Depth range from 520 to 683 m; bottom: soft substrate of mud, sand or coral. Ovigerous females have been found in April.

Size:
Maximum carapace length: 6.5 cm (males), and 6.2 cm (females), corresponding with a total length of about 19 cm (males) and 18 cm (females). Ovigerous females have a carapace length of 4.7 to 6.1 cm.

Interest to Fisheries:
So far none. The fact that the species occurs on soft bottoms and is sometimes collected in relatively great numbers (at "Siboga" Sta. 38 no less than 23 specimens were taken in one haul) indicates that the species might be of commercial interest.

Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Arthropoda
Class Crustacea
Order Decapoda
Suborder Macrura Reptantia
Superfamily Palinuroidea
Family Palinuridae
Genus Puerulus
Species Puerulus velutinus

Status in World Register of Marine Species

Accepted name: Puerulus velutinus Holthuis, 1963

Scientific synonyms and common names

Puerulus velutinus Holthuis, 1963

Synonyms:
Puerulus velutinus Holthuis, 1963, Proceedings Koninklijke Nederlandse Akademie Wetenschappen, (C)66:55.

FAO Names:
Velvet whip lobster [English]

Man, J.G. de, 1916. Families Eryonidae, Palinuridae, Scyllaridae and Nephropsidae. The Decapoda of the Siboga Expedition. Part III. Siboga Expedition Monogr., 39(a2):1-122, pls 1-4

Holthuis, L.B., 1963. Preliminary descriptions of some new species of Palinuridae (Crustacea Decapoda Macrura Reptantia). Proceedings Koninklijke Nederlandse Akademie Wetenschappen, (C) 66: 54-60.

Holthuis, L.B., 1966. On spiny lobsters of the genera Palinurellus, Linuparus and Puerulus (Crustacea Decapoda, Palinuridae). Proceedings Symposium Crustacea Ernakulam, India, 1:260-278

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