Sodhiana iranica, Sharifian, Sana, Kamrani, Ehsan & Sharifian, Salim, 2014

Sharifian, Sana, Kamrani, Ehsan & Sharifian, Salim, 2014, A new species of freshwater crab of the genus Sodhiana Yeo & Ng, 2012 (Decapoda: Brachyura: Gecarcinucidae) from southern Iran, Zootaxa 3878 (5), pp. 485-490 : 486-489

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.3878.5.7
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:C69D72C1-2E03-46E4-9C3E-3E36AE82563E
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6138478
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/017DF312-9A36-FFF0-BDAA-44EE3B381423
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Sodhiana iranica
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Sodhiana iranica View in CoL n. sp.

( Figs. 1–3 View FIGURE 1 View FIGURE 2 View FIGURE 3 )

Material examined. Holotype: male (30.2 × 23.1 mm) ( ZRC 2014.0240), Bastak, Iran, 27°13’N 54°40’E, coll. S. Sharifian, 12 March 2014. Paratypes: 1 male (29.3 × 23.0 mm), 3 females (largest 29.0 × 23.1 mm) ( ZRC 2014.0241), same data as holotype; 5 males (largest 30.3 × 26.1 mm), 4 females (largest 33.8 × 29.4 mm) ( ZCUH), Bastak, Iran, 27°13’N 54°40’E, coll. S. Sharifian, 1 May 2014.

Comparative material [photographs examined]. Sodhiana blanfordi ( Alcock, 1909) : Syntype male (46.4 × 35.0 mm) (NHM 1905.10.13.5), Pishin, Baluchistan, Pakistan; syntypes, 4 males (largest 43.2 × 33.2 mm), 5 females (largest 36.9 × 28.8 mm) (ZSI 4043/4), Pishin, Baluchistan, Pakistan, coll. W.T. Blanford, no date; 1 male (41.8 × 31.8 mm), 1 female (37.3 × 28.8 mm) ( ZRC), Punjgoor, Beluchistan, Pakistan, coll. Q. Kazmi, 19 January 2003; 2 males (larger 37.1 × 28.0 mm) ( ZRC), Punjgoor, Beluchistan, Pakistan, coll. Q. Kazmi, 19 August 2003.

Description. Carapace broader than long; dorsal surfaces smooth; epigastric cristae low, formed by low transverse striae, not cristate, slightly anterior to postorbital cristae; postorbital cristae distinct, sharp, low, defined by small rounded granules, just reaching anterolateral margin at epibranchial tooth. External orbital tooth broadly triangular, outer margin lined with small rounded granules, about 3 times length of inner margin, margin near epibranchial tooth more angular, subdentiform. Epibranchial tooth distinct, triangular, just posterior of postorbital cristae, separated from margin by distinct V-shaped cleft ( Figs. 1 View FIGURE 1 A, B, 2A, B). Third maxilliped ischium subrectangular, smooth, with submedian depression but no obvious longitudinal median sulcus; merus rectangular; exopod slender, reaching to midlength of merus, flagellum elongate ( Fig. 2 View FIGURE 2 C). Cutting edge of propodus of larger chela with large proximal tooth formed by fusion of several smaller teeth; tip of finger subspatulate ( Fig. 2 View FIGURE 2 F, H, I).

Male thoracic sternum smooth; male abdomen narrowly triangular, somite 6 trapezoidal with very slightly concave lateral margins, longer than broad; longer than telson ( Figs. 1 View FIGURE 1 C, 2D). G1 with terminal segment straight, subconical, tip directed upwards, slightly inwards (toward median part of thoracic sternum), about one-fifth length of subterminal segment. G2 distal segment long, about half length of basal segment ( Fig. 3 View FIGURE 3 ). Female vulvae rounded, on anterior half of sternite 6, with large opercular cover ( Fig. 2 View FIGURE 2 E).

Habitat. The species inhabits a freshwater spring located in a semi-mountainous area in Iran (Eellod region), covered by dense stands of common reeds and salt cedar trees in the periphery, with mats of algae on the bottom.

Distribution. So far only known from Bastak, Iran (but see “Remarks” below).

Etymology. The specific epithet iranica is named after the type locality.

Remarks. Sodhiana blanfordi ( Alcock, 1909) and S. iranica n. sp. are superficially similar in the form of the carapace and ambulatory legs. The most significant difference is in the form of the G1. The terminal segment of the G1 of S. iranica n. sp. is gently bent inwards, with the outer margin more curved and the tip directed towards the median part of the sternoabdominal cavity ( Fig. 3 View FIGURE 3 A–C). In S. blanfordi , the terminal segment is evenly conical and straight ( Fig. 4 View FIGURE 4 F, G). These differences are consistent for the specimens of different sizes of both species studied.

Sodhiana iranica View in CoL n. sp. is easily separated from S. rokitanskyi View in CoL by having the epigastric cristae lower and less pronounced, and coming close or almost in contact with the postorbital cristae ( Figs. 1 View FIGURE 1 A, 2A, B), whereas it is more prominent in S. rokitanskyi View in CoL ( Pretzmann 1971: pl. 5 fig. 11; Kamrani et al. 2009: fig. 1A; Yeo & Ng 2012: fig. 2B). The G1 of S. iranica View in CoL n. sp. is relatively more slender with the terminal segment proportionately shorter and tip gently bent inwards ( Fig. 3 View FIGURE 3 A–C), in contrast to S. rokitanskyi View in CoL , where the G1 is proportionately stouter and the tip of the G1 terminal segment is gently bent outwards ( Pretzmann 1971: pl. 6 fig. 16; Kamrani et al. 2009: fig. 4A, B). Sodhiana iranica View in CoL n. sp. can be separated from the poorly known S. afghaniensis ( Pretzmann, 1963) View in CoL by its less convex dorsal carapace surface and proportionately longer G1 terminal segment that has the tip directed inwards (versus straighter G1 with a relatively shorter terminal segment in S. afghaniensis View in CoL ) (cf. Pretzmann 1963: pl. 2 figs. 5, 6; Yeo & Ng 2012: fig. 2A). The carapace of the holotype and only specimen of S. afghaniensis View in CoL is partially crushed but fresh material from near the type locality shows that adults have a distinctly convex dorsal carapace surface (P.K.L. Ng, unpublished).

Kamrani et al. (2009) discussed the differences between S. rokitanskyi and S. blanfordi , and noted that the form of the posterior margin of the epistome and structure of the proximal tooth on the propodal finger of the larger chela were different. These characters may be affected by size. Although the specimens of S. blanfordi examined (through the courtesy of P.K.L. Ng) had the proximal tooth on the pollex of the larger chela composed of several smaller teeth, Alcock (1910: pl. 4 fig. 16A) figured a large male that had a large complete tooth. This suggests that the large tooth is merely the consequence of complete fusion of several smaller teeth, certainly the case in the present material of S. iranica ( Fig. 2 View FIGURE 2 F, H, I). The same appears to be true for the form of the median triangular lobe on the posterior margin of the epistome. Smaller specimens have the lateral margins gently concave (cf. Kamrani et al. 2009: fig. 2B) but larger ones have almost straight lateral margins ( Fig. 4 View FIGURE 4 C, D).

It is noteworthy that the locality of the new species in Bastak, Iran, is over 1000 km to the west of the type locality of S. blanfordi (Pishin, Baluchistan) in western Pakistan, but separated by various high mountain ranges. The type locality of S. rokitanskyi occurs in near a hot spring in Geno, southern Iran ( Kamrani et al. 2009), this area is some 200 km to the east of Bastak, Iran, the type locality of S. iranica n. sp.