Phylum: Arthropoda Gravenhorst, 1843
Class: Malacostraca Latreille, 1902
Order: Decapoda Latreille, 1902
Family: Munididae Ahyong, Baba, Macpherson & Poore, 2010
Babamunida lakshadweepa Tiwari, Padate, & Osawa in Tiwari, Padate, Osawa, Anoop & Sebastian, 2025
Collection: Southeastern Arabian Sea, off Kerala, 9.39°N, 74.64°E, 283 m, 03.02.2024, FORVSS 402_sm1st4
Voucher No.: CMLRE IO/SS/ANG/00186
Description: Carapace with 2 or 3 pairs of epigastric spines, 1 parahepatic and 1–2 postcervical spines; branchial margin with 3–4 spines diminishing in size posteriorly; frontal margin gently oblique. Rostrum 0.6 times PCL. Epistome with ridge arising from marginal ridge of buccal frame, laterally leading to level of antennal gland aperture. Thoracic sternum smooth, anterior margin of sternite 4 narrow, contiguous to median one-fourth of posterior margin of sternite 3. Pleomere tergites 2–4 each with 3 transverse ridges. Antennular peduncle article 1 not reaching distal corneal margin, with subequal distal spines; lateral margin with 2 spines, anterior spine distinctly overreaching distolateral spine. Antennal peduncle not reaching distal margin of cornea; article 1 with distomesial spine overreaching distal margin of article 2; article 2 with distomesial spine nearly reaching distal margin of article 4, distolateral spine nearly reaching distal margin of article 3; articles 3 and 4 unarmed. Mxp3 merus with 2 or 3 spines on flexor margin, proximal spine prominent. P1 2.7–3.4 times PCL, surfaces squamose, bearing plumose and iridescent setae; merus length 3.8–4.4 times width measured on distal margin; palm length 2.3–2.5 times width, fixed finger with row of spines on lateral margin; dactylus 1.2–1.4 times longer than palm, with row of large spines on mesial margin and row of squamiform striae dorsomesially. P2–4 dactyli 0.6–0.9 times as long as propodi, flexor margins each with 9–12 corneous spines on nearly entire length and slender terminal spine closely appressed to unguis.
Biological association: None.
Remarks: New species of deep-sea squat lobster from the Arabian Sea.
Distribution: Lakshadweep Sea, off Kerala, India, 283–595 m depths.
Distribution map:
Identified by: Shivam Tiwari.
Publication: Tiwari S, Padate VP, Osawa M, Anoop VS, Sebastian W (2026). Two new deep-sea squat lobsters (Crustacea: Decapoda: Anomura: Munididae) from seamounts of Southeastern Arabian Sea, India. Journal of Natural History, 60(1-4), 1-19. https://doi.org/10.1080/00222933.2025.2590014
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