Galathella Barnard & Karaman 1987

(Fig. 16)

Galathella Barnard & Karaman 1987: 866 .— Barnard & Karaman 1991: 488.—Lowry & Stoddart, 1995: 12.— Lowry & Stoddart 2003: 281 (catalogue).

Type species. Schisturella galatheae Dahl, 1959, original designation.

Included species. Galathella includes 5 species: G. bassiana Lowry & Stoddart, 1995; G. galatheae (Dahl, 1959); G. latipes (Ledoyer, 1986); G. palana Lowry & Stoddart, 1995; G. solivagus Kilgallen, 2009 .

Diagnostic description. Antenna 1 peduncle article 1 without anterodistal lobe; accessory flagellum with an elongate article 1 (at least twice as long as article 2) partially covering callynophore. Antenna 2 without brush setae. Mandible molar a reduced column with triturating surface. Maxilla 1 outer plate a well developed 7/4 crown. Maxilla 2 inner plate slightly shorter to significantly shorter than outer plate. Gnathopod 1 weakly to strongly subchelate or simple; coxa 1 reduced or large, shorter than coxa 2, tapering; ischium short (length less than 2 × breadth) or long (length more than 2 × breadth); carpus long to very long (greater than 2 × breadth); propodus margins tapering distally. Uropod 2 inner ramus not constricted. Telson moderately to deeply cleft.

Remarks. Galathella is the only uristid with gnathopod 1 coxa slightly shorter than coxa 2 and tapering distally, similar to Ventiella in which coxa 1 is more reduced and tapering. These genera differ mainly in maxilla 2 (inner plate longer than outer plate in Ventiella) and in the cleftness of the telson (moderately to deeply in Galathella and notched in Ventiella).

Distribution. South-western Pacific Ocean: Kermadec Trench. Eastern Australia. Western Indian Ocean.