Galacantha subspinosa, 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 : 23-26

Galacantha subspinosa n. sp.

( Figs. 11, 12, 55B)

Munidopsis spinosa .— Takeda, 1983: 96, with fig.— Baba, 1988: 168, figs. 67, 68; 2005: 296 (in part) (not G. spinosa A. Milne-Edwards, 1880 )

Munidopsis rostrata .— Miyake, 1982: 144, pl. 48, fig. 4 (not G. rostrata A. Milne-Edwards, 1880 ).

Material examined. Philippines, MUSORSTOM 1, Stn 49, 750– 925 m: 2 F 12.7–13.3 mm (MNHN- Ga1443). Indonesia, Kei Islands, KARUBAR, Stn 20, 769– 809 m: 1 M 30.0 mm (MNHN-Ga5441).—Stn 54, 836– 869 m: 1 F 26.0 mm (MNHN-Ga5724).—Stn 73, 840– 855 m: 1 M 20.0 mm (MNHN-Ga5542).—Stn 87, 1017– 1024 m: 2 F 8.0– 15.9 mm (MNHN-Ga5543).—Stn 91, 884– 891 m: 4 M 17.5–29.0 mm, 4 F 17.0–28.0 mm (MNHN-Ga5544). Solomon Islands, SALOMON 1, Stn 1753, 1001– 1012 m: 2 M 12.4–26.6 mm, 4 F 15.1–23.0 mm (MNHN-Ga5545). —Stn 1762, 396- 411 m: 2 M 13.6-14.4 mm, 1 ovig. F 17.7 mm (MNHN- Ga5546). SALOMON 2, Stn 2189, 660– 854 m: 1 M 28.6 mm. 15.0– 20.2 mm (MNHN-Ga5726).— Stn 2251, 1000–1050 m: 4 M 13.5–16.6 mm, 3 F 12.8–19.9 mm (MNHN-Ga5727).— Stn 2252, 1059– 1109 m: 3 F 15.4–20.0 mm (MNHN-Ga5547). Vanuatu, MUSORSTOM 8, Stn 1076, 1100–1191 m: 1 F 20.5 mm (MNHN-Ga5548).

Types. The female of 26.0 mm from KARUBAR, Stn 54 is the holotype (MNHN Ga 5724) . The other specimens are paratypes.

Etymology. The name subspinosa refers to its relationship with G. spinosa .

Description. Carapace slightly longer than broad, covered with tubercles or spine-like tubercles, those on posterior half forming rows; dorsally armed with 2 epigastric, one extremely strong laterally compressed mesogastric, and one moderately large cardiac spines; posterior margin of mesogastric spine straight. Gastric and cardiac regions convex. Lateral margins subparallel, with 2 prominent anterior spines, directed forward, and lobe-like process at midlength, first spine (anterolateral) clearly less than 3 times larger than second spine (hepatic). Rostrum not overreaching third antennal segment, spiniform, without additional spines, upturned and without horizontal portion.

Sternites smooth. Sternite 3 bilobate, separated by notch, about one-third width of sternite 4; each lobe with lateral margin rounded. Sternite 4 truncate subtriangular, relatively narrow anteriorly.

Abdominal tergites 2–4 with 2 moderately elevated transverse ridges; ridges and pleura covered with acute tubercular processes, each anterior ridge with prominent median spine, spine on tergite 4 clearly smaller than previous spines; transverse grooves between ridges not interrupted medially. Tergites 5–6 with numerous acute tubercles, anterior border of tergite 5 slightly elevated and tuberculated. Telson divided into 10 plates, midlateral plates with stiff setae in male; posterior plates combined nearly twice as wide as long.

Eye movable and spineless, corneae subglobular. Basal article of antennule with small distomesial, strong distolateral, and small dorsolateral spines; distoventral margin with broad, thin, distally dentate process. Antennal peduncle spineless.

Mxp 3 merus with 2 or 3 spines on flexor margin, proximal spine largest, extensor margin unarmed; mesial ridge of ischium bearing 13–16 denticles.

P1 covered with granules, 1.4 (female) and 1.6 (male) times carapace length, nearly spineless; merus and carpus with a few terminal spines, carpus as long as palm, 1.3–1.5 times longer than wide, with a few terminal spines; palm as long as wide, fingers 1.4–1.6 times longer than palm, distally spooned, prehensile edges crenulate.

P2–P4 long, slender, with numerous granules, subcylindrical. P2 overreaching P1, 1.7–2.0 times carapace length; merus 3.0–3.5 times length of carpus, 1.2 times length of propodus and about 5 times longer than high, slightly longer than that of P3 and 1.3 times that of P4, clearly overreaching rostrum, having distal spine on dorsal margin; carpus having granulated dorsolateral crest; propodus 6–7 times longer than high, 1.4–1.7 times dactylus length, ventral margin unarmed; dactylus compressed laterally, flexor border moderately curving, bearing proximally diminishing low teeth.

Colour. Body and appendages uniformly red, gastro-cardiac furrow whitish.

Remarks. Galacantha subspinosa belongs to the group of species with the rostrum without additional spines, and lateral carapace margin with second (hepatic) spine shorter than first (anterolateral) spine. The closest species to G. subspinosa is G. spinosa A. Milne-Edwards, 1880 , from the Caribbean Sea (see above), and the following aspects can differentiate them:

— The rostrum does not reach the end of the third antennal segment in G. subspinosa , instead of exceeding this segment in G. spinosa .

— The first lateral (anterolateral) spine of the carapace is more than 3 times longer than second lateral (hepatic) spine in G. spinosa , being less than 3 times in the new species.

— The posterior margin of the mesogastric spine is straight in the new species, being clearly convex in G. spinosa .

— The walking legs (P2–P4) are more slender in G. spinosa than in G. subspinosa . P2 merus 5 times longer than high in G. subspinosa , instead of 6 times longer in G. spinosa . P2 propodus is 6–7 times longer than high in G. subspinosa , instead of 8–9 times longer in G. spinosa .

Distribution. Philippines, Indonesia (Kei Islands), Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, at 660–1191 m.