taxonID	type	description	language	source
FF4D87EAF17CFFC7FE99FB80FBADFDD6.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis. The most recent diagnosis to the genus is that of Ariyama & Hiki (2024).	en	Khalaji-Pirbalouty, Valiallah, , Carlos A. Santamaria, , Jayanthi, Puniamoorthy, O, Mendoza,, Jose Christopher E. (2025): Description of a new species of Ligia Fabricius, 1798 (Crustacea: Isopoda: Ligiidae) from Samoa based on morphological and molecular data, with notes on L. vitiensis Dana, 1853. Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 73: 276-292, DOI: 10.26107/RBZ-2025-0020
FF4D87EAF17CFFC7FE99FB80FBADFDD6.taxon	discussion	Remarks. Ariyama & Hiki (2024) provided an updated taxonomic diagnosis for this genus. The following statements are included here to augment their diagnosis. The character “ Cephalon with large eyes, the distance between the eyes can be shorter, longer, or equal to the length of the eyes. ” can be useful in species identification. For example, in Ligia hawaiensis Dana, 1853, the distance between the eyes is less than their length, in L. yemenica it is equal, and in L. pallasii Brandt, 1833, this distance is greater than their length (Khalaji-Pirbalouty & Wägele, 2010). According to Ariyama & Hiki (2024), the second [sic] article of antennula, has 3 or 4 short aesthetascs on mediodistal [sic] margin. This mistake likely stems from a visual error, with the authors mistakenly identifying the location of the aesthetascs as being on the mediodistal margin of the second article rather than the proximal part of the distal article. However, contrary to the text of the article, the figures by Ariyama & Hiki (2024: figs. 4 A 1, 9 A 1) show that these appendages are on the distal article. Contrary to Ariyama & Hiki (2024) ’ s assertion, these aesthetascs are located on the proximal part of the third article, a fact that has been correctly noted in prior research by Taiti & Ferrara (2004), and Khalaji-Pirbalouty & Wägele (2010). This observation is not limited to the genus in question but is consistent with other genera within the order Oniscidea, such as Olibrinus Budde-Lund, 1912, Panchaia Taiti & Ferrara, 2004, and Tamarida Taiti & Ferrara, 2004, where these aesthetascs are also found on the third article (Taiti & Ferrara, 2004). Finally, some characters that have not been mentioned in previous diagnoses, including the elongated antenna that is extending beyond pereon segments, the caudal surfaces of pereopods 6 and 7 with several rows of regular scales on ischium, merus, carpus and propodus (a path for water transport on these legs), and a tuft of very long thin setae on the tergal margin of dactylus, are included in this new species description.	en	Khalaji-Pirbalouty, Valiallah, , Carlos A. Santamaria, , Jayanthi, Puniamoorthy, O, Mendoza,, Jose Christopher E. (2025): Description of a new species of Ligia Fabricius, 1798 (Crustacea: Isopoda: Ligiidae) from Samoa based on morphological and molecular data, with notes on L. vitiensis Dana, 1853. Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 73: 276-292, DOI: 10.26107/RBZ-2025-0020
FF4D87EAF17CFFC7FC63FD80FB79F7D6.taxon	description	(Figs. 1 – 6)	en	Khalaji-Pirbalouty, Valiallah, , Carlos A. Santamaria, , Jayanthi, Puniamoorthy, O, Mendoza,, Jose Christopher E. (2025): Description of a new species of Ligia Fabricius, 1798 (Crustacea: Isopoda: Ligiidae) from Samoa based on morphological and molecular data, with notes on L. vitiensis Dana, 1853. Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 73: 276-292, DOI: 10.26107/RBZ-2025-0020
FF4D87EAF17CFFC7FC63FD80FB79F7D6.taxon	materials_examined	Material examined. Holotype. Male (14.2 mm without uropod) (ZRC 2023.0292), Lano Beach, Savaiʻi Island, Samoa, 13 ° 36.499 ′ S 172 ° 12.082 ′ W, coll. H. Wong & C. K. Chim, 6 August 2015. Paratypes. 2 males (13.0 mm, 14.0 mm) (ZRC 2023.0293), 3 males (12.5 mm, 13.8 mm, 14.2 mm) (ZRC 2023.0294), 1 male (14.6 mm) (ZRC 2023.0295), 1 female (12.1 mm) (ZRC 2023.0296), 1 female (10.0 mm) (ZRC 2023.0297), same data as holotype.	en	Khalaji-Pirbalouty, Valiallah, , Carlos A. Santamaria, , Jayanthi, Puniamoorthy, O, Mendoza,, Jose Christopher E. (2025): Description of a new species of Ligia Fabricius, 1798 (Crustacea: Isopoda: Ligiidae) from Samoa based on morphological and molecular data, with notes on L. vitiensis Dana, 1853. Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 73: 276-292, DOI: 10.26107/RBZ-2025-0020
FF4D87EAF17CFFC7FC63FD80FB79F7D6.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis. Eyes relatively large, distance between eyes ca. 0.6 of the eye length; pleotelson length more than half of width; uropod peduncle more than twice length of pleotelson, about half length of rami, mesial margin with 6 robust setae; antennal flagellum extending to posterior margin of pleonite 3. Propodus of first pereopod without protruding triangular process on distal part; pereopods 6 and 7 dactyli with tuft of long, thin setae on tergal and subdistal margins. Appendix masculina apex tip not enlarged, apex blunt and slightly rounded, subapical margin equipped with several rows of slender and fully curved down cuticular spines.	en	Khalaji-Pirbalouty, Valiallah, , Carlos A. Santamaria, , Jayanthi, Puniamoorthy, O, Mendoza,, Jose Christopher E. (2025): Description of a new species of Ligia Fabricius, 1798 (Crustacea: Isopoda: Ligiidae) from Samoa based on morphological and molecular data, with notes on L. vitiensis Dana, 1853. Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 73: 276-292, DOI: 10.26107/RBZ-2025-0020
FF4D87EAF17CFFC7FC63FD80FB79F7D6.taxon	description	Description of male. Body length 2.41 times greatest width (at pereonite 4) (Figs. 1 A, 2 A). Cephalon with large eyes, distance between eyes ∼ 0.6 times as long as each eye length (Figs. 1 B, C, 2 A). Pereonite 7 posterolateral point extending to middle of pleonite 3. Pleonite 1 visible in dorsal view but largely concealed by pereonite 7; pleonites 3 – 5 with a subcrescentic epimera, pleonites 4 and 5 bearing a subcrescentic, thin dorsal depression. Pleotelson length ca. 0.7 times greatest width, bearing arcuate furrow dorsally, with pointed posteromedial margin; posterolateral corners acute but not reaching pleotelson apex; posterior margin with 5 – 7 submarginal foraminate tricorns on each side (Figs. 1 D, 2 F). Antennula basal article with 2 simple setae on distoventral margin; article 2 covered with scaly setae, bearing 4 long setae on posterodistal angle; apical article with 4 aesthetascs (Fig. 2 B). Antenna peduncle article 3 longer than article 2, with simple seta on dorsodistal angle; article 5 about 1.6 times as long as article 4 (Figs. 1 B, C, 2 C); flagellum extending to posterior margin of pleonite 3, with 39 articles, last article (Fig. 2 D) bearing a tuft of fine setae distally.	en	Khalaji-Pirbalouty, Valiallah, , Carlos A. Santamaria, , Jayanthi, Puniamoorthy, O, Mendoza,, Jose Christopher E. (2025): Description of a new species of Ligia Fabricius, 1798 (Crustacea: Isopoda: Ligiidae) from Samoa based on morphological and molecular data, with notes on L. vitiensis Dana, 1853. Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 73: 276-292, DOI: 10.26107/RBZ-2025-0020
