New species of deep-water galatheoid crab from India

Phylum: Arthropoda

Class: Malacostraca Latreille, 1802

Order: Decapoda Latreille, 1802

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

Grimothea krishaha Tiwari, Padate & Cubelio, 2023

Collection: Andaman Sea, northeast off Car Nicobar Island – 9.24°N, 92.92°E, 315 m, 28.01.2015 (FORVSS 334 leg II, St. 05), Naturalists dredge

Voucher No.: CMLRE IO/SS/ANO/00134, IO/SS/ANO/00135 and IO/SS/ANO/00136

Description: Small galatheoid crab possessing carapace with 5 pairs of epigastric spines and 1 median gastric spine; hepatic, parahepatic, anterobranchial and postcervical regions each with 1 small spine; anterolateral spine reaching sinus between rostrum and supraocular spines; branchial margins with 5 spines; posterior margin unarmed. Pterygostomian flap laterally inflated, partially visible in dorsal view, anterior margin terminating in 1 spinule. Thoracic sternite 4 with 2 short median striae and 1 pair of long submedian striae, anterior margin widely contiguous to sternite 3. Sternite 7 with granular patch laterally. Pleonal tergites 2–4 each with deep median groove, tergite 2 with 4 pairs of spines on anterior ridge. Antennular peduncle article 1 bearing subequal distal spines, first lateral spine overreaching distal spines. Antennal peduncle insertion visible in dorsal view, article 1 fused with lateral margin of epistome; distomesial spine of article 1 overreaching distal margin of article 2; distomesial spine of article 2 overreaching distal margin of article 4, mesial margin with short spine, distolateral spine overreaching distal margin of article 3. Mxp3 merus with 2–3 flexor spines, extensor distal margin unarmed. P1 fingers 1.3 times palm length, fixed finger with 3 spines on dorsolateral margin, 2 subdistal spines on lateral margin, dactylus with distinct proximal spine, 4 spines on mesial margin including subdistal spine.

Biological association: None.

Remarks: New species of the genus Grimothea Leach, 1820 from Indian EEZ.

Distribution: Andaman Sea (type locality). Depth range: 315 m.

Distribution map:

Identified by: Shivam Tiwari

Publication: Tiwari S., Padate V.P., Cubelio S.S. (2023) Chirostyloid and galatheoid squat lobsters (Decapoda: Anomura) from Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India, with three new species. Journal of Natural History, 57 (9–12): 520–556. https://doi.org/10.1080/00222933.2023.2192429