Munidopsis pubescens, 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 : 94-96

Munidopsis pubescens n. sp.

( Fig. 44)

Material examined. Madagascar (A. Crosnier collection), Stn CH 107, 695– 710 m: 1 M 12.2 mm, holotype (MNHN-Ga 1421) .

Etymology. From the Latin pubes, pubescent, in reference to the setose aspect of the body.

Description. Carapace surface unarmed, without epigastric spines, covered by small rugosities. Short striae on anterior branchial region, longer striae on posterior branchial region, as illustrated. Rostrum distally trifid, dorsally smooth, maximum width 0.3 times carapace breadth; nearly horizontal but slightly upturned distally. Antennal spine present. Oblique frontal margin leading to well-developed anterolateral spine (first spine) slightly smaller than antennal spine, followed by 2 spines on anterior part of anterior branchial region; another small spine (fourth) behind to end of posterior branch of cervical groove.

Pterygostomian region smooth, ending in acute point.

Sternum longer than wide, maximum width at sternite 6 and 7. Anterior margin of sternite 3 with small granules, slightly wider than anterior margin of sternite 4, 1.5 times wider than long. Sternite 4 subtriangular, narrow elongate, maximum breadth 4 times breadth of sternite 3.

Abdomen smooth; segments 2–4 each with 2 slightly elevated transverse ridges, separated by shallow transverse furrow; segment 6 bearing posterolateral lobes somewhat exceeding nearly straight transverse median margin. Telson composed of 7 plates; posterior plates combined nearly 1.5 times as wide as long.

Eye movable, unarmed; smoothly ovate cornea cupped within broad-based ocular peduncle; cornea relatively large, wider than second article of antennal peduncle. Spine ventral to front margin between ocular and antennal peduncles.

Basal article of antennule with long distolateral and dorsolateral spines; distomesial angle granulated.

Article 1 of antennal peduncle with strong distomesial and distolateral spines; article 2 with distomesial and distolateral spines; article 3 with small distomesial spine.

Mxp 3 ischium with small distal spine on flexor and extensor borders, crista dentata with 21–23 denticles; merus with strong distal spine on flexor margin, small distal spine on extensor border.

P1 moderately long and stout, with small rugae, having some short setae, twice carapace length; merus overreaching end of rostrum, with 3 strong terminal spines (dorsal, mesial, lateral), one well-developed spine on mesial margin; carpus as long as high, with 3 distal spines, one additional well-developed spine on mesial margin; palm spineless; fingers more than 0.5 times palm length, distally spooned, prehensile edges crenulated, gapping; fixed finger without crest on distolateral margin.

P2 clearly not exceeding P1. Merus triangular in section, less than 0.5 times carapace length, twice as long as high, slightly longer than carpus and propodus, dorsally carinate, provided with row of well-developed spines, increasing in size distally; ventral margin with distal spine; carpus with well-developed spine on dorsal margin, granulated crest along lateral side not continued on to propodus; propodus unarmed, except distal movable spine on ventral margin, 2.5 times longer than high, as long as dactylus; dactylus smoothly narrowed distally, ending in curved sharp spine, flexor margin slightly curving, bearing 6 proximally diminishing teeth, each with small movable spinule, ultimate spine remote from end of dactylus and much closer to penultimate.

Epipods absent from pereiopods.

Remarks. Munidopsis pubescens is characterized by the presence of lateral spines of the rostrum, dorsal surface of the carapace and abdominal segments unarmed, and 4 spines along each lateral border of carapace. The new species is related to M. acuminata Benedict, 1902 , from the northwestern Atlantic (coasts off South Carolina, 781 m) ( Macpherson & Segonzac 2005). They differ in the following aspects:

— The merus and carpus of P1 each bears only one well-developed mesial spine in M. pubescens , whereas the merus bears a row of dorsomesial spines and the carpus is unarmed along the mesial border (except distal spine) in M. acuminata .

— The carpi of P2–P4 bear a row of spines along dorsal margin in M. acuminata , but only one distal spine in M. pubescens .

Distribution. Only known from Madagascar at 695– 710 m.