New species of coral reef-associated galatheoid crab from India

Phylum: Arthropoda

Class: Malacostraca Latreille, 1802

Order: Decapoda Latreille, 1802

Family: Munididae Ahyong, Baba, Macpherson & Poore, 2010

Raymunida shraddhanandi Tiwari, Padate, Cubelio & Osawa, 2022

Collection: Andaman Sea, east off Little Andaman Island – 10.72°N, 92.70°E, 53 m, 10.08.2019 (FORVSS 388, St. 06), Chain dredge

Voucher No.: CMLRE IO/SS/ANO/00140 and CMLRE IO/SS/ANO/00141

Description: Medium-sized galatheoid crab possessing carapace (exclusive of rostrum) 1.2 times as long as wide; dorsal surface with sparse long iridescent setae, 5 pairs of epigastric spines, 0–1 anterior branchial spine, 1 parahepatic spine and 1 post-cervical spine; frontal margin with short spine mesial to anterolateral spine; branchial margin with 4 spines. Rostrum 0.4 times PCL. Anterior margin of thoracic sternite 4 as wide as sternite 3, sternites 5–7 smooth or with few short oblique striae on lateral portions. Pleonal tergites 2 and 3 each with or without row of interrupted, short striae between 2 transverse ridges. Antennular article 1 (excluding distal spines) not reaching distal corneal margin. Antennal article 1 with distomesial spine slightly overreaching distal margin of article 3; article 2 with distomesial spine reaching distal margin of article 3; article 3 with short distomesial spine. Mxp3 merus with dorsodistal spine, ventral margin with 2 slender spines; carpus with 1 or 2 distal spines on ventral margin. P1 3.1–3.6 times PCL, with numerous long, simple setae; chela 4.6–7.5 times as long as wide, with dorsolateral row of sparsely arranged spines; fingers each with distinct rounded crest along dorsal midline. P2–4 meri squamate on lateral surface, P4 mero-carpal articulation reaching level of lateral end of anterior cervical groove of carapace.

Biological association: None.

Remarks: First distributional record of the genus Raymunida Macpherson & Machordom, 2000 from Indian EEZ.

Distribution: Andaman Sea (type locality). Depth range: 53 m.

Distribution map:

Identified by: Shivam Tiwari

Publication: Tiwari S., Padate V.P., Cubelio S.S., Osawa M. (2022) Squat lobsters of the genera Raymunida Macpherson & Machordom, 2000 and Munidopsis Whiteaves, 1874 (Decapoda: Anomura: Galatheoidea) from the Indian Exclusive Economic Zone, with descriptions of three new species. Journal of Natural History, 56 (41–44): 1819–1839. DOI: 10.1080/00222933.2022.2138600

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