Munidopsis leptotes, Published, 2007

Published, First, 2007, Species of the genus Munidopsis Whiteaves, 1784 from the Indian and Pacific Oceans and reestablishment of the genus Galacantha A. Milne-Edwards, 1880 (Crustacea, Decapoda, Galatheidae), Zootaxa 1417, pp. 1-135 : 77-79

Munidopsis leptotes n. sp.

( Fig. 36)

Material examined. Gulf of Aden , SUROIT, 1400–1600 m: 1 F 5.6 mm, holotype (MNHN-Ga 1543) .

Etymology. From the Greek leptotes , slenderness, in reference to the long chelipeds. The name is considered as a substantive in apposition.

Description. Carapace longer than broad, nearly devoid of setae, dorsal surface moderately convex from side to side, cervical groove moderately distinct, regions well defined, gastric and cardiac regions more convex than branchial regions. Gastric region with 2 pairs of epigastric and numerous small mesogastric spines. Cardiac region triangular, preceded by deep transverse groove, with two median spines; some small postcervical spines and a few additional small spines on branchial regions; some small granules scattered on all regions. Rostrum triangular, nearly horizontal in lateral view, less than 0.3 length of remaining carapace, maximum width 0.2 times carapace breadth, apex blunt, lateral margins convergent and dorsally carinate. Frontal margin transverse in mesial half, without antennal spine, oblique in lateral half; anterolateral spine small, lateral margins weakly convex, subparallel, with some small spines along branchial margins. Posterior margin with some small spines.

Pterygostomian flap smooth, anterior margin ending in spine, overhanging basal antennal segment.

Sternum as long as wide, maximum width at sternite 7. Sternite 3 broad, slightly bilobate, separated by notch, about 3 times wider than long; sternite 4 anteriorly narrowed, nearly contiguous to third, about twice wider than sternite 3.

Abdomen smooth, unarmed; segments 2ñ4 each with 2 transverse ridges weakly elevated, separated by shallow transverse groove, segments 5–6 lacking such ridges; segment 6 with weakly produced posterolateral lobes and nearly transverse posteromedian margin. Telson composed of 8 plates; posterior plates combined more than 1.5 times as wide as long.

Ocular peduncle fixed, with small mesial eye-spine not reaching end of cornea; cornea subglobular. Acute spine ventral to front margin between ocular and antennal peduncles.

Basal article of antennular peduncle with strong dorsolateral and distolateral spines, distomesial angle with granules.

Antennal peduncle overreaching tip of cornea; basal article with strong distomesial and distolateral spines; article 2 with long distolateral spine; segment 3 with minute distomesial spine; article 4 unarmed.

Mxp 3 ischium shorter than merus measured on extensor margin, flexor margin with distal spine; 17 or 18 corneous denticles on crista dentata; flexor margin of merus with 2 strong spines, extensor margin with distal spine.

P1 long and slender, 3.5 times carapace length, nearly devoid of setae, covered with minute granules on merus to dactylus. Merus longer than carapace, more than twice length of carpus, with a few distal spines, and row of spines along mesial and dorsal surface. Carpus nearly 5 times longer than high, with several distal small spines. Palm slender, smooth, nearly 1.5 length of carpus. Fingers nearly 0.7 times length of palm, opposable margins nearly straight, distally spooned; fixed finger without distolateral carina.

P2–P4 slender, nearly devoid of setae, somewhat compressed laterally, decreasing in size posteriorly. P2 clearly not reaching end of P1; merus shorter than carapace, about 5 times longer than high, more than 2.5 times length of carpus and slightly longer than propodus, dorsal margin with 3 or 4 small spines and some granules, ventral margin unarmed; carpus with 1 small distal spine on dorsal margin, lateral crest with small granules; propodus 7 times longer than high, ventral margin unarmed except for 2 corneous spines on distal portion; dactylus half length of propodus; terminal claw short, moderately curved, dorsal surface smooth, ventral margin nearly straight, with 12 or 13 minute teeth decreasing in sizes proximally, ultimate spine closer to penultimate spine rather than end of article.

Epipods absent from pereiopods.

Remarks. The new species resembles M. unguifera Alcock & Anderson, 1894 , from the Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea, in having the rostrum narrow triangular, frontal margin without an antennal spine, abdominal segments unarmed, small mesial eye-spine, and P2 not reaching P1. The following characters differentiate the two species:

— The dorsal carapace surface bears numerous small spines in M. leptotes , instead of two epigastric spines only in M. unguifera .

— The P1 is 3.5 times carapace length in M. leptotes , being twice in M. unguifera .

Distribution. Gulf of Aden, at 1400–1600 m.