Munidopsis lophia, 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 : 79-81

Munidopsis lophia n. sp.

( Fig. 37)

Material examined. Madagascar (A. Crosnier coll.), Stn 90, 640– 720 m: 1 ovig. F 5.9 mm (Holotype, MNHN-Ga 1420) .

Etymology. From the Greek lophia , crest, ridge, in reference to the cristate lateral margin of the carapace. The name is considered as a substantive in apposition.

Description. Carapace excluding rostrum slightly longer than wide, dorsal surface spineless, without ridges and setae, bifurcated cervical groove slightly distinct. Gastric region convex, circumscribed. Cardiac region slightly convex, depressed in front of slightly elevated transverse rugae. Posterior half of each branchial region with weak short transverse ridges. Posterior transverse ridge slightly elevated, uninterrupted and unarmed. Rostrum horizontal, triangular, 0.4 length of remaining carapace, maximum width 0.3 times carapace breadth, flattish dorsally, with weak longitudinal groove in midline, lateral margin finely serrated, ventral side flattish. Front margin slightly oblique in mesial half, transverse in lateral half, anterolateral angle rounded; lateral margin convex, cristate, overhanging pterygostomian flap; notch at end of anterior branch of cervical groove.

Sternum as long as wide, maximum width at level of sternite 7. Sternites feebly granulated. Sternite 3 with 2 anterior dentate lobes, twice as wide as long; sternite 4 twice broader than sternite 3, narrow anteriorly, anterior margin clearly narrower than sternite 3, lateral margins concave.

Abdominal segments spineless; segments 2–4 with anterior transverse ridge slightly elevated, without transverse groove; posterolateral lobes of segment 6 distinct but not overreaching transverse posteromedian margin. Telson divided into 8 plates, posterior plates combined nearly twice as wide as long.

Eye small, movable, falling short of midlength of rostrum; cornea moderately small, as long as remaining eyestalk. Blunt spine ventral to front margin between ocular and antennal peduncles.

Basal article of antennule with blunt distomesial process, and strong distolateral and distodorsal spines.

Antennal peduncle having basal article with blunt distomesial process and stout distolateral process; article 2 with distomesial and distolateral acute processes.

Mxp 3 ischium longer than merus, measured along extensor margins; merus with two strong spines on flexor margin, extensor distal margin acute, without spine.

P1 granulated, spineless, with a few setae, relatively stout, short, 1.3 times longer than carapace length. Merus with acute distolateral process. Carpus wider than long, and slightly shorter than palm. Palm as long as fingers, fixed finger with denticulate carina on distolateral margin.

P2–P4 with a few setae. P2 clearly not eaching end of P1; merus somewhat cristate along dorsal margin, ventral margin rounded, twice longer than high; dorsal margin of carpus cristate, with rounded longitudinal ridge along lateral side; propodus nearly 3.5 times longer than high, and nearly twice dactylus length, dorsal margin flattish with 2 weakly cristate ridges; dactylus ending in curved claw preceded by 6 proximally diminishing spines on nearly straight flexor margin, each spine bearing short seta, ultimate tooth closer to penultimate one than to end of terminal claw.

Epipods absent on pereiopods.

Remarks. The new species is closely related to M. denudata n. sp. (see Remarks under that species).

Distribution. Only known from Madagascar, at 640– 720 m.