Metanephrops challengeri
Encyclopedia
Metanephrops challengeri (the New Zealand lobster or New Zealand scampi) is a species
of lobster
from New Zealand
. It was first collected by the Challenger expedition
of 1872–1876, but only described as separate from related species by Heinrich Balss
in 1914. Although originally classified in the genus Nephrops
, it was moved in 1972 to a new genus, Metanephrops
, along with most other species then classified in Nephrops. It is an important fishery species, and under the limitations of New Zealand's Quota Management System
, trawlers catch around 1000 t per year.
, at depths of 140–640 m (459.3–2,099.7 ). It lives in burrow
s in a variety of "suitable cohesive" sediments, and is a significant prey item for ling, Genypterus blacodes. Lobster
s have few parasites, the most important for M. challengeri being the microsporidia
n Myospora metanephrops, which can cause "destruction of the skeletal and heart muscles of infected lobsters". When it was described in 2010, M. metanephrops was the first microsporidian to be isolated from a true lobster.
, typically 13–18 cm (5.1–7.1 ) long, but exceptionally up to 25 cm (9.8 in), and weighing up to 100 grams (3.5 oz) each. It is one of the two most aberrant species in the genus Metanephrops, the other being Metanephrops neptunus. M. challengeri is considered to have the most primitive morphology of any species of Metanephrops, having even fewer novelties than the oldest known fossil species, M. rossensis. Its rostrum
is longer than that of other species in the thomsoni species group
, and the ridge along the midline of the carapace
only has two small spines.
Metanephrops challengeri has been harvested commercially since the 1980s. Between the season of 1988/89 and 1990/91, the amount of scampi caught around New Zealand increased from only 55000 kilograms (121,254.2 lb) to around 500000 kg (1,102,311.3 lb). Catch limits were introduced in 1990/91, and now 1000000 kg (2,204,622.6 lb) is caught annually by trawlers
. The fishery is centred on four areas of continental shelf
of the submerged continent Zealandia
: the Campbell Plateau
around the Auckland Islands
, Chatham Rise
, along the Wairarapa
coast, and in the Bay of Plenty
.
Most of the fishing vessel
s used to capture M. challengeri are 20–40 m (65.6–131.2 ) long, with "double or triple trawl rigs of low headline height". There is considerable variation in the catch per unit effort
between different depths, between different geographical areas and between different years.
Metanephrops challengeri was the subject of a 2003 select committee
inquiry in the New Zealand parliament
, after allegations of corruption
arose against officers of the Ministry of Fisheries
. Although the allegations were quashed, the inquiry ruled that preferential treatment had been given to the large fishing company Simunovich Fisheries. In response, the government introduced M. challengeri into their Quota Management System
and paid compensation
to some fishermen who had a justified grievance. Under QMS, an overall limit of 1291000 kg (2,846,167.8 lb) was put in place for M. challengeri in 2011.
by Heinrich Balss
in 1914, under the name Nephrops challengeri. Two specimens had been collected on the Challenger expedition
from benthic
Globigerina ooze at a depth of 275 fathoms (502.9 m), on the Challenger Plateau
in the Tasman Sea
. They had been included by Charles Spence Bate
in his report on the crustaceans collected by the Challenger expedition, but were not separated from M. thomsoni, which was described by Bate as a new species. Balss recognised that Bate's M. thomsoni covered two species and, restricting the name M. thomsoni to the species containing the type specimens designated by Bate (from the Philippines
), and creating a new species for the species from New Zealand. Balss chose the two specimens seen by Bate to be the type specimens of his new species, Nephrops challengeri. Both were females, and they have been deposited at the Natural History Museum
in London.
The species was transferred to a new genus, Metanephrops
(along with every other extant species then in Nephrops
, except its type species
, Nephrops norvegicus) by Richard Jenkins of the University of Adelaide
in 1972. Jenkins placed M. challengeri among the "thomsoni group" within the genus Metanephrops, alongside M. thomsoni, M. sibogae, M. boschmai and M. sinensis. Jenkins inferred that this group of species had originated off northern Australia or in Indonesia, and that M. challengeri had reached New Zealand in the late Tertiary
and displaced M. motunauensis, which formerly lived there. More recently, findings from molecular phylogenetics suggest that M. challengeri has a basal position in the genus, possibly linked to M. neptunus, and that the genus may have originated at high latitudes in the South Atlantic.
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of lobster
Lobster
Clawed lobsters comprise a family of large marine crustaceans. Highly prized as seafood, lobsters are economically important, and are often one of the most profitable commodities in coastal areas they populate.Though several groups of crustaceans are known as lobsters, the clawed lobsters are most...
from New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. It was first collected by the Challenger expedition
Challenger expedition
The Challenger expedition of 1872–76 was a scientific exercise that made many discoveries to lay the foundation of oceanography. The expedition was named after the mother vessel, HMS Challenger....
of 1872–1876, but only described as separate from related species by Heinrich Balss
Heinrich Balss
Heinrich Balss was a German zoologist, specialising in Crustacea, especially decapods. He was chief conservator at the Zoologische Staatssammlung at the University of Munich, and wrote the sections on decapods and stomatopods in Heinrich Georg Bronn's seminal work Klassen und Ordnungen des...
in 1914. Although originally classified in the genus Nephrops
Nephrops
Nephrops is a genus of lobsters comprising a single extant species, Nephrops norvegicus , and several fossil species. It was erected by William Elford Leach in 1814, to accommodate N...
, it was moved in 1972 to a new genus, Metanephrops
Metanephrops
Metanephrops is a genus of lobsters, commonly known as scampi. Important species for fishery include Metanephrops australiensis and Metanephrops challengeri...
, along with most other species then classified in Nephrops. It is an important fishery species, and under the limitations of New Zealand's Quota Management System
Quota Management System
The Quota Management System is a type of individual fishing quota that is used in New Zealand to manage fish stocks.It is the first ever property-based fisheries management system to be implemented.-External links:* – The Quota Management System...
, trawlers catch around 1000 t per year.
Distribution and ecology
Metanephrops challengeri lives around the coasts of New Zealand, including the Chatham IslandsChatham Islands
The Chatham Islands are an archipelago and New Zealand territory in the Pacific Ocean consisting of about ten islands within a radius, the largest of which are Chatham Island and Pitt Island. Their name in the indigenous language, Moriori, means Misty Sun...
, at depths of 140–640 m (459.3–2,099.7 ). It lives in burrow
Burrow
A burrow is a hole or tunnel dug into the ground by an animal to create a space suitable for habitation, temporary refuge, or as a byproduct of locomotion. Burrows provide a form of shelter against predation and exposure to the elements, so the burrowing way of life is quite popular among the...
s in a variety of "suitable cohesive" sediments, and is a significant prey item for ling, Genypterus blacodes. Lobster
Lobster
Clawed lobsters comprise a family of large marine crustaceans. Highly prized as seafood, lobsters are economically important, and are often one of the most profitable commodities in coastal areas they populate.Though several groups of crustaceans are known as lobsters, the clawed lobsters are most...
s have few parasites, the most important for M. challengeri being the microsporidia
Microsporidia
The microsporidia constitute a phylum of spore-forming unicellular parasites. They were once thought to be protists but are now known to be fungi. Loosely 1500 of the probably more than one million species are named now. Microsporidia are restricted to animal hosts, and all major groups of animals...
n Myospora metanephrops, which can cause "destruction of the skeletal and heart muscles of infected lobsters". When it was described in 2010, M. metanephrops was the first microsporidian to be isolated from a true lobster.
Description
Metanephrops challengeri is a slender pink lobsterLobster
Clawed lobsters comprise a family of large marine crustaceans. Highly prized as seafood, lobsters are economically important, and are often one of the most profitable commodities in coastal areas they populate.Though several groups of crustaceans are known as lobsters, the clawed lobsters are most...
, typically 13–18 cm (5.1–7.1 ) long, but exceptionally up to 25 cm (9.8 in), and weighing up to 100 grams (3.5 oz) each. It is one of the two most aberrant species in the genus Metanephrops, the other being Metanephrops neptunus. M. challengeri is considered to have the most primitive morphology of any species of Metanephrops, having even fewer novelties than the oldest known fossil species, M. rossensis. Its rostrum
Rostrum (anatomy)
The term rostrum is used for a number of unrelated structures in different groups of animals:*In crustaceans, the rostrum is the forward extension of the carapace in front of the eyes....
is longer than that of other species in the thomsoni species group
Species group
A species group is an informal taxonomic rank into which an assemblage of closely related species within a genus are grouped because of their morphological similarities and their identity as a biological unit with a single monophyletic origin.-Use:...
, and the ridge along the midline of the carapace
Carapace
A carapace is a dorsal section of the exoskeleton or shell in a number of animal groups, including arthropods such as crustaceans and arachnids, as well as vertebrates such as turtles and tortoises. In turtles and tortoises, the underside is called the plastron.-Crustaceans:In crustaceans, the...
only has two small spines.
Fisheries
Trawling
Trawling is a method of fishing that involves pulling a fishing net through the water behind one or more boats. The net that is used for trawling is called a trawl....
. The fishery is centred on four areas of continental shelf
Continental shelf
The continental shelf is the extended perimeter of each continent and associated coastal plain. Much of the shelf was exposed during glacial periods, but is now submerged under relatively shallow seas and gulfs, and was similarly submerged during other interglacial periods. The continental margin,...
of the submerged continent Zealandia
Zealandia (continent)
Zealandia , also known as Tasmantis or the New Zealand continent, is a nearly submerged continental fragment that sank after breaking away from Australia 60–85 million years ago, having separated from Antarctica between 85 and 130 million years ago...
: the Campbell Plateau
Campbell Plateau
The Campbell Plateau is a large submarine plateau to the south of New Zealand and the Chatham Rise. It originated in the Gondwanan breakup and is part of Zealandia, a largely submerged continent. The Bounty Islands, Antipodes Islands, Auckland Islands and Campbell Island are on the...
around the Auckland Islands
Auckland Islands
The Auckland Islands are an archipelago of the New Zealand Sub-Antarctic Islands and include Auckland Island, Adams Island, Enderby Island, Disappointment Island, Ewing Island, Rose Island, Dundas Island and Green Island, with a combined area of...
, Chatham Rise
Chatham Rise
The Chatham Rise is an area of ocean floor to the east of New Zealand, forming part of the Zealandia continent. It stretches for some from near the South Island in the west, to the Chatham Islands in the east...
, along the Wairarapa
Wairarapa
Wairarapa is a geographical region of New Zealand. It occupies the south-eastern corner of the North Island, east of metropolitan Wellington and south-west of the Hawke's Bay region. It is lightly populated, having several rural service towns, with Masterton being the largest...
coast, and in the Bay of Plenty
Bay of Plenty
The Bay of Plenty , often abbreviated to BOP, is a region in the North Island of New Zealand situated around the body of water of the same name...
.
Most of the fishing vessel
Fishing vessel
A fishing vessel is a boat or ship used to catch fish in the sea, or on a lake or river. Many different kinds of vessels are used in commercial, artisanal and recreational fishing....
s used to capture M. challengeri are 20–40 m (65.6–131.2 ) long, with "double or triple trawl rigs of low headline height". There is considerable variation in the catch per unit effort
Catch per unit effort
In fisheries and conservation biology, the catch per unit effort is an indirect measure of the abundance of a target species. Changes in the catch per unit effort are inferred to signify changes to the target species' true abundance...
between different depths, between different geographical areas and between different years.
Metanephrops challengeri was the subject of a 2003 select committee
Select committee
A select committee is a special subcommittee of a legislature or assembly governed under a committee system, like Robert's Rules of Order. They are often investigative in nature, collecting data or evidence for a law or problem, and will dissolve immediately after they report their findings to...
inquiry in the New Zealand parliament
Parliament of New Zealand
The Parliament of New Zealand consists of the Queen of New Zealand and the New Zealand House of Representatives and, until 1951, the New Zealand Legislative Council. The House of Representatives is often referred to as "Parliament".The House of Representatives usually consists of 120 Members of...
, after allegations of corruption
Political corruption
Political corruption is the use of legislated powers by government officials for illegitimate private gain. Misuse of government power for other purposes, such as repression of political opponents and general police brutality, is not considered political corruption. Neither are illegal acts by...
arose against officers of the Ministry of Fisheries
Ministry of Fisheries (New Zealand)
The Ministry of Fisheries , also known by its acronym MFish, is a state sector organisation of New Zealand whose role is ensuring the sustainable utilisation of fisheries. This involves conserving, using, enhancing and developing New Zealand's fisheries resources. New Zealand's Minister of...
. Although the allegations were quashed, the inquiry ruled that preferential treatment had been given to the large fishing company Simunovich Fisheries. In response, the government introduced M. challengeri into their Quota Management System
Quota Management System
The Quota Management System is a type of individual fishing quota that is used in New Zealand to manage fish stocks.It is the first ever property-based fisheries management system to be implemented.-External links:* – The Quota Management System...
and paid compensation
Damages
In law, damages is an award, typically of money, to be paid to a person as compensation for loss or injury; grammatically, it is a singular noun, not plural.- Compensatory damages :...
to some fishermen who had a justified grievance. Under QMS, an overall limit of 1291000 kg (2,846,167.8 lb) was put in place for M. challengeri in 2011.
Taxonomy
Metanephrops challengeri was first describedAlpha taxonomy
Alpha taxonomy is the discipline concerned with finding, describing and naming species of living or fossil organisms. This field is supported by institutions holding collections of these organisms, with relevant data, carefully curated: such institutes include natural history museums, herbaria and...
by Heinrich Balss
Heinrich Balss
Heinrich Balss was a German zoologist, specialising in Crustacea, especially decapods. He was chief conservator at the Zoologische Staatssammlung at the University of Munich, and wrote the sections on decapods and stomatopods in Heinrich Georg Bronn's seminal work Klassen und Ordnungen des...
in 1914, under the name Nephrops challengeri. Two specimens had been collected on the Challenger expedition
Challenger expedition
The Challenger expedition of 1872–76 was a scientific exercise that made many discoveries to lay the foundation of oceanography. The expedition was named after the mother vessel, HMS Challenger....
from benthic
Benthos
Benthos is the community of organisms which live on, in, or near the seabed, also known as the benthic zone. This community lives in or near marine sedimentary environments, from tidal pools along the foreshore, out to the continental shelf, and then down to the abyssal depths.Many organisms...
Globigerina ooze at a depth of 275 fathoms (502.9 m), on the Challenger Plateau
Challenger Plateau
The Challenger Plateau is a large submarine plateau west of New Zealand and south of the Lord Howe Rise. It has an approximate diameter of . The plateau originated in the Gondwanan breakup and is one of the five major submerged parts of Zealandia, a largely submerged continent....
in the Tasman Sea
Tasman Sea
The Tasman Sea is the large body of water between Australia and New Zealand, approximately across. It extends 2,800 km from north to south. It is a south-western segment of the South Pacific Ocean. The sea was named after the Dutch explorer Abel Janszoon Tasman, the first recorded European...
. They had been included by Charles Spence Bate
Charles Spence Bate
Charles Spence Bate, or Spence Bate, FRS was a British zoologist and dentist, who who practiced first at Swansea, and then Plymouth, taking over his father's practice. He was an authority on the Crustacea, and a frequent correspondent of Charles Darwin, mostly concerning their shared interest in...
in his report on the crustaceans collected by the Challenger expedition, but were not separated from M. thomsoni, which was described by Bate as a new species. Balss recognised that Bate's M. thomsoni covered two species and, restricting the name M. thomsoni to the species containing the type specimens designated by Bate (from the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
), and creating a new species for the species from New Zealand. Balss chose the two specimens seen by Bate to be the type specimens of his new species, Nephrops challengeri. Both were females, and they have been deposited at the Natural History Museum
Natural History Museum
The Natural History Museum is one of three large museums on Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London, England . Its main frontage is on Cromwell Road...
in London.
The species was transferred to a new genus, Metanephrops
Metanephrops
Metanephrops is a genus of lobsters, commonly known as scampi. Important species for fishery include Metanephrops australiensis and Metanephrops challengeri...
(along with every other extant species then in Nephrops
Nephrops
Nephrops is a genus of lobsters comprising a single extant species, Nephrops norvegicus , and several fossil species. It was erected by William Elford Leach in 1814, to accommodate N...
, except its type species
Type species
In biological nomenclature, a type species is both a concept and a practical system which is used in the classification and nomenclature of animals and plants. The value of a "type species" lies in the fact that it makes clear what is meant by a particular genus name. A type species is the species...
, Nephrops norvegicus) by Richard Jenkins of the University of Adelaide
University of Adelaide
The University of Adelaide is a public university located in Adelaide, South Australia. Established in 1874, it is the third oldest university in Australia...
in 1972. Jenkins placed M. challengeri among the "thomsoni group" within the genus Metanephrops, alongside M. thomsoni, M. sibogae, M. boschmai and M. sinensis. Jenkins inferred that this group of species had originated off northern Australia or in Indonesia, and that M. challengeri had reached New Zealand in the late Tertiary
Tertiary
The Tertiary is a deprecated term for a geologic period 65 million to 2.6 million years ago. The Tertiary covered the time span between the superseded Secondary period and the Quaternary...
and displaced M. motunauensis, which formerly lived there. More recently, findings from molecular phylogenetics suggest that M. challengeri has a basal position in the genus, possibly linked to M. neptunus, and that the genus may have originated at high latitudes in the South Atlantic.
Further reading
- Report on the Crustacea Macrura collected by H.M.S. Challenger during the Years 1873–1876 by C. Spence BateCharles Spence BateCharles Spence Bate, or Spence Bate, FRS was a British zoologist and dentist, who who practiced first at Swansea, and then Plymouth, taking over his father's practice. He was an authority on the Crustacea, and a frequent correspondent of Charles Darwin, mostly concerning their shared interest in...