New species of sponge crab from Indian EEZ

Phylum: Arthropoda

Class: Malacostraca Latreille, 1802

Order: Decapoda Latreille, 1802

Family: Dromiidae De Haan, 1833

Epigodromia mclayi Prema & Cubelio, 2024

Collection: SE Arabian Sea, south of Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu, 7.42°N, 77.52°E, 113 m, 04.12.2019 (FORVSS 392, St. 17), Chain dredge; SW Bay of Bengal, east of Puducherry, Pondicherry, 11.98°N, 80.10°E, 107 m, 16.07.2005 (FORVSS 236, St. 31), Naturalist dredge.

Voucher No.: CMLRE IO/SS/BRC/00370, IO/SS/BRC/00371

Description: Carapace subcircular, areolate; mesogastric, protogastric urogastric and branchial regions with protuberances; cardiac broadly convex, nearly triangular. Branchial notch visible with posterolateral node & larger conical tooth; posterior branchial areas convex. Anterolateral margin bearing 2 granulated lobes. Chelipeds bearing row of larger, rounded granules. P2–3 with rounded nodules & few short bristles, dactylar inner margins bearing 5–7 spinules; P4–5 reduced, outer surfaces of propodi with 3 subequal spines, inner posterior end with 1 spine opposed to dactyli. Male pleonal somites 2–6 with 2 transverse rows of granulated lobules; somites 2–3 with transverse lobules ornamented with continuous flattened granules. G1 semi-rolled, setose with pointed lobe.

Biological association: None.

Remarks: New species of sponge crab from Indian EEZ

Distribution: Southeastern Arabian Sea. Depth range: 107–113 m.

Distribution map:

Identified by: Prema M.

Publication: Prema M., Cubelio S.S. (2024) A new species of sponge crab of the genus Epigodromia McLay 1993 (Crustacea: Brachyura: Dromiidae) from the southeastern Arabian Sea, with notes on the zoogeography. Zootaxa, 5496 (2): 247–260.