Galacantha quiquei, 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 : 15-18

Galacantha quiquei n. sp.

( Figs. 6, 7, 55A)

Material examined. Solomon Islands, SALOMON 2, Stn 2230, 837– 945 m: 1 M 7.2 mm (MNHN- Ga5450).—Stn 2251, 1000–1050 m: 1 M 15.7 mm (MNHN-Ga5451) . New Caledonia, BIOCAL l, Stn 62, 1395– 1410 m: 1 M 12.3 mm (MNHN-Ga5728).—Stn 68, 1430– 1470 m: 2 ovig. F 18.0– 18.5 mm (MNHN- Ga5452).—Stn 69, 1220– 1225 m: 1 ovig. F 20.5 mm (MNHN-Ga5729). HALIPRO 2, Stn BT 77, 1349– 1350 m: 1 M 15.3 mm. BATHUS 1, Stn 661, 960– 1100 m: 1 F 15.4 mm, 1 F 10.8 mm. NORFOLK 2, Stn 2131, 1114– 1190 m: 1 M 17.5 mm, 1 ovig. F 22.4 mm (MNHN-Ga5453) . Vanuatu, MUSORSTOM 8, Stn 956, 1175– 1210 m: 1 M 9.7 mm.—Stn 990, 980– 990 m: 1 M 17.0 mm.—Stn 1036, 920– 950 m: 1 M 8.5 mm.—Stn 1037, 1058– 1086 m: 1 F 19.6 mm (MNHN-Ga5454).—Stn 1126, 1210– 1260 m: 1 M 9.2 mm . Fiji, MUSOR- STOM 10 , Stn 1361, 1068– 1091 m: 1 M 8.1 mm, 1 ovig. F 16.2 mm, 1 F 10.2 mm. BORDAU 1, Stn 1458, 1216– 1226 m: 2 F 6.1–9.6 mm (MNHN-Ga5455) . Wallis and Futuna, MUSORSTOM 7, Stn 620, 1280 m: 1 M 20.4 mm (MNHN-Ga5549), 1 M 19.6 mm, 1 F 6.8 mm (MNHN-Ga5737).— Stn 621, 1280– 1300 m: 1 M 16.0 mm.—Stn 622, 1280– 1300 m: 1 M 20.4 mm, 1 ovig. F 16.0 mm.—Stn 623, 1280– 1300 m: 1 M 16.0 mm, 1 ovig. F 20.0 mm .

Types. The male of 20.4 mm from MUSORSTOM 7, Stn 620 is the holotype (MNHN Ga 5549) . The other specimens are paratypes.

Etymology. The species is dedicated to the phycologist Quique Ballesteros for his friendship and support to taxonomy.

Description. Carapace slightly longer than broad, covered with small setigerous granules, short setigerous scales on branchial regions; epigastric spines absent, one strong laterally compressed mesogastric, and one moderately large cardiac spines. Gastric and cardiac regions somewhat inflated. Lateral margin slightly convex, smooth, with prominent first (anterolateral) spine, second (hepatic) spine absent, and one well-developed spine at midlength. Front margin moderately oblique, without antennal spine. Posterior margin of carapace smooth. Rostrum with 2 small spines, discernible in dorsal view, at end of horizontal portion, rostral spine smaller than mesogastric spine, upturned distally, forming angle of 60º with horizontal portion; width of rostrum (measured at level of end of corneae) clearly wider than corneae; horizontal portion reaching end of antennal peduncle.

Sternites smooth. Sternite 3 bilobate, separated by notch, about one-third width of sternite 4; each lobe as wide as long, with lateral margin rounded, anterior margin granulated; ridges demarcating sternites 4–7 feebly granular. Sternite 4 truncate subtriangular, relatively narrow anteriorly.

Abdomen smooth with numerous short and uniramous setae. Abdominal tergites 2–4 with 2 low transverse ridges, posterior ridge on somite 4 absent, each anterior ridge with prominent median spine, spine on tergite 4 clearly smaller than preceding spines; each transverse groove between ridges interrupted medially. Pleura of tergite smooth. Tergite 5 smooth. Tergite 6 having slightly convex posterior margin, not overreaching posterolateral lobes. 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 having dorsolateral spine smaller than distolateral, distomesial margin with broad, thin, dentate process.

Antennal peduncle nearly spineless; article 1 with distomesial spine.

Mxp 3 merus with 2 spines on flexor margin, proximal spine largest, extensor margin unarmed; mesial ridge of ischium bearing 16–18 denticles.

P1 covered with small granules, nearly spineless, and 1.5–1.6 times carapace length; merus with a few terminal spines, carpus as long as palm, 1.3–1.5 times longer than wide, with several terminal spines; palm 1.2 times longer than wide, fingers 1.3–1.6 longer than palm, distally spooned, prehensile edges crenulate.

P2–P4 long, slender, with numerous granules, subcylindrical. P2 overreaching P1 and nearly twice carapace length; meri 2.5 times length of carpus, 1.4 times length of propodus and 5–6 times longer than high, slightly longer than that of P3 and 1.3 times that of P4, overreaching rostrum, having distal spine on dorsal and ventral margin; carpus having dorsolateral granulated crest, with distal spine on dorsal margin; propodus 6–8 times longer than high, 1.7 times dactylus length, ventral margin unarmed; dactyli compressed laterally, flexor border moderately curving, bearing 11–14 proximally diminishing low teeth, ultimate tooth rather remote from end of dactylus and much closer to penultimate; distal half of extensor margin with numerous unirramous setae.

Colour. Carapace reddish, with a broad white transverse band at midlength; mesogastric spine white.

Median portion of abdominal segments whitish, pleura reddish. P1 with mesial sides of merus, carpus and palm reddish, dorsal and lateral sides whitish, fingers red. P2–P4 whitish, ventral margins of meri to propodi red, dactyli red.

Remarks. The new species is closely related to G. valdiviae Balss, 1913 (see below). Both species have the carapace covered with small setigerous granules, and short setigerous scales on branchial regions, the rostrum with 2 small divergent spines at the end of horizontal portion, discernible in dorsal view, with one strong anterolateral spine and one well-developed spine at midlength. The two species can be easily differentiated by the absence of the pair of epigastric spines in the new species, whereas these spines are always present in G. valdiviae . Furthermore, the lateral branchial spine is clearly longer in G. valdiviae than in G. quiquei .

Distribution. Solomon Islands, New Caledonia, Vanuatu, Fiji, Wallis and Futuna Islands, between 835 and 1470 m.