New species of deep-water short-legged crab from Andamans, India

Intesius brevipes

Phylum: Arthropoda

Class: Malacostraca Latreille, 1802

Order: Decapoda Latreille, 1802

Family: Mathildellidae Karasawa and Kato, 2003

Intesius brevipes Padate, Cubelio & Takeda, 2021

Collection: SE Bay of Bengal, west of Rutland Island, Andamans – 11.35°N 92.39°E, 535 m, 11.01.2015 (FORVSS 334 leg 1, St. 11), High Speed Demersal Trawl (Crustacean Version).

Voucher No.: CMLRE IO/SS/BRC/00296

Description: Carapace subhexagonal, 1.22 times wider than long; dorsal surface microscopically granular, with short moderately dense tomentum. Frontal margin narrow (0.28 times CW), gently deflexed, distinctly projecting, granular, medially notched. Anterolateral margins distinctly curved, 4-toothed; first tooth shortest, bearing small granules, separated from the external orbital tooth by long granule; remaining teeth spinose; second and third teeth largest, bearing long granules. Palm of large chela distinctly granular proximally on dorsal margin. Pereopods 2–5 bearing relatively short setae; relatively shorter P4–5 with greatly slender pereopod meri and carpi.

Biological association: None.

Remarks: First distributional record of genus Intesius Guinot and Richer de Forges, 1981 from Indian Ocean.

Distribution: Continental slope off Andamans (known only from type locality). Depth range: 535 m.

Distribution map:

 

Identified by: Vinay P. Padate

Publication: Padate V.P., Sherine Sonia Cubelio, Takeda M. (2021) Rare deep-water crabs (Crustacea: Decapoda) from Indian waters, with description of one new species. Nauplius, 29: e2021034. doi: 10.1590/2358-2936e2021034

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