taxonID	type	description	language	source
03FD9B1B4570FE24FF6BFB14FAECB96F.taxon	description	(Fig. 1)	en	Ahyong, Shane T. (2026): Three new Indo-West Pacific species of coral reef mantis shrimps (Stomatopoda: Gonodactylidae). Zootaxa 5845 (3): 478-492, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5845.3.3, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5845.3.3
03FD9B1B4570FE24FF6BFB14FAECB96F.taxon	materials_examined	Type material. HOLOTYPE: ZRC 2026.1423, male (TL 28 mm), Pulau Aor, Malaysia, South China Sea, fringing coral reef in strait between island and islet of northern tip, coll. M. Tweedie, June 1938. PARATYPES: ZRC 2026.1424, 4 males (TL 24 – 32 mm), 11 females (TL 25 – 33 mm), same data as holotype.	en	Ahyong, Shane T. (2026): Three new Indo-West Pacific species of coral reef mantis shrimps (Stomatopoda: Gonodactylidae). Zootaxa 5845 (3): 478-492, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5845.3.3, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5845.3.3
03FD9B1B4570FE24FF6BFB14FAECB96F.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis. Ocular scales separate, rounded, separate, bases transverse, each scale distinctly narrower than basal width of median spine of rostral plate. Rostral plate basal portion with transverse anterior margin; anterolateral angles rounded; lateral margins divergent anteriorly. Raptorial claw dactylus outer margin without proximal notch in adults. Thoracic somites 6 and 7 lateral processes truncate ventrally, former wider than latter. Male pleopod 1 endopod with distinct lateral lobe on posterior ‘ endite’. Telson as long as or slightly longer than wide; dorsal surface without spinules; intermediate carina extending anteriorly to about midlength of anterior submedian carina; emargination between submedian and intermediate teeth acute; median carina with small posterior tubercle or spinule, otherwise unarmed dorsally; accessory median carinae unarmed, not extending anteriorly beyond posterior one-fourth of median carina; anterior submedian carinae not extending anteriorly as far as base of median carina; knob crescentic, protruding posteriorly slightly beyond apex of median carina, visible in dorsal view; lateral tooth positioned at or posterior to level of posterior end of anterior submedian carina. Uropodal exopod and endopod inner margins setose; exopod distal margin with fixed ventral spine.	en	Ahyong, Shane T. (2026): Three new Indo-West Pacific species of coral reef mantis shrimps (Stomatopoda: Gonodactylidae). Zootaxa 5845 (3): 478-492, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5845.3.3, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5845.3.3
03FD9B1B4570FE24FF6BFB14FAECB96F.taxon	description	Description. Eyes elongate; cornea subconical. Ocular scales separate, rounded, bases transverse, each scale distinctly narrower than basal width of median spine of rostral plate. Antennular peduncle length 0.58 – 0.60 CL. Antennal scale length 0.41 – 0.42 CL. Rostral plate slightly longer than wide; basal portion trapezoidal, anterior margin transverse; anterolateral angles rounded; lateral margins divergent anteriorly; median spine longer than basal portion, without ventral keel. Raptorial claw dactylus without notch on outer proximal margin. Propodus proximal movable spine slender; occlusal margin sparsely pectinate proximally. Carpus dorsal margin unarmed. Mandibular palp 3 - articulate. Maxillipeds 1 – 5 each with epipod. Pereopods 1 – 3 endopod slender, linear, 2 - articulate; proximal article unarmed. Thoracic somites 6 and 7 lateral processes truncate ventrally, former wider than latter. Thoracic somite 8 anterolateral margin rounded; sternal keel obsolete. Male pleopod 1 endopod with distinct lateral lobe on posterior ‘ endite’. Abdominal somites 1 – 5 posterolateral angles unarmed. AWCLI 710 – 748. Abdominal somite 6 with posteriorly armed submedian, intermediate and lateral bosses. Telson as long as or slightly longer than wide, dorsal surface without spinules; with 11 – 13 spiniform submedian denticles; 2 intermediate denticles. Submedian teeth unarmed dorsally, dorsal carina relatively slender. Intermediate teeth distinct, apices sharp, extending posteriorly well beyond apices of intermediate denticles; intermediate carina slender, extending anteriorly to about or slightly beyond midlength of anterior submedian carina; emargination between submedian and intermediate teeth acute. Lateral teeth indicated by a shallow notch, apex angular to blunt, not projecting well off margin of telson; positioned at or posterior to level of posterior end of anterior submedian carina. Median carina more strongly inflated in males than in females; with small posterior tubercle or spinule, otherwise unarmed. Accessory median carinae unarmed, short, not extending anteriorly beyond posterior one-fourth of median carina. Knob crescentic, evenly rounded, protruding posteriorly slightly beyond apex of median carina, visible in dorsal view. Anterior submedian carinae smooth, unarmed, straight, not extending anteriorly as far as base of median carina. Telson ventral surface without carinae on submedian or intermediate teeth. Uropodal protopod terminal spines with outer spine longer and slightly wider than inner spine, smooth ventrally, neither with longitudinal carina; upper proximal surface without obtuse swelling behind dorsal carina; slender dorsal spine above exopod articulation. Uropodal exopod proximal article outer margin with 9 or 10 (usually 9) movable spines, distalmost spine slightly exceeding apex of distal article; inner margin setose; distal margin with fixed ventral spine; exopod distal article rounded, margin setose. Uropodal endopod narrow, length about 3.3 × width; with low dorsolateral carina; entire margin setose. Colour in life. Not known. Specimens completely faded in preservative.	en	Ahyong, Shane T. (2026): Three new Indo-West Pacific species of coral reef mantis shrimps (Stomatopoda: Gonodactylidae). Zootaxa 5845 (3): 478-492, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5845.3.3, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5845.3.3
03FD9B1B4570FE24FF6BFB14FAECB96F.taxon	etymology	Etymology. The species is named after the type locality, Pulau Aor; used as a noun in apposition.	en	Ahyong, Shane T. (2026): Three new Indo-West Pacific species of coral reef mantis shrimps (Stomatopoda: Gonodactylidae). Zootaxa 5845 (3): 478-492, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5845.3.3, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5845.3.3
03FD9B1B4570FE24FF6BFB14FAECB96F.taxon	description	Measurements. Male (n = 5) TL 24 – 32 mm, female (n = 11) TL 25 – 33 mm. Measurements of holotype: TL 28 mm, CL 6.00 mm, antennular peduncle length 3.62 mm, antennal scale length 2.53 mm, abdominal somite 5 width 4.49 mm.	en	Ahyong, Shane T. (2026): Three new Indo-West Pacific species of coral reef mantis shrimps (Stomatopoda: Gonodactylidae). Zootaxa 5845 (3): 478-492, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5845.3.3, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5845.3.3
03FD9B1B4570FE24FF6BFB14FAECB96F.taxon	discussion	Remarks. Gonodactylellus aor sp. nov., belongs to the group of species within the genus sharing the combination of the short accessory median carinae on the telson with length less than one-third that of the median carina, unarmed dorsal surfaces of the telson surface and distinct intermediate telson teeth with apices that posteriorly overreach the intermediate denticles: G. annularis Erdmann & Manning, 1998, G. erdmanni Ahyong, 2001, G. incipiens (Lanchester, 1903), G. spiridonovi Ahyong, 2021, and G. viridis (Serène, 1954). The new species differs from each of the aforementioned congeners in having a distinct ‘ knob’ that protrudes posteriorly beyond the posterior apex of the median carina and is visible in dorsal view; the knob is absent in the other species. Within this group, G. aor sp. nov. is closest to G. erdmanni and G. incipiens, sharing the wide, truncate lower pleural margins of thoracic somite 6. Adult males of G. aor sp. nov. further differ from G. erdmanni in having a more gracile and less stout telson aspect; these subtle qualitative differences are best appreciated by direct comparison of specimens (compare Fig. 1 H with Ahyong 2001: fig. 24 E, 26 E; Ahyong et al. 2008: fig. 7 E). Gonodactylellus aor sp. nov. further differs from G. incipiens in the elongated median carina of the telson (versus tumid-ovate) and straight anterior submedian carinae (versus arcuate). The remaining species of the group, namely G. annularis, G. spiridonovi and G. viridis differ from G. aor sp. nov. in the lower pleural margin of thoracic somite 6 being rounded and similarly narrow to that of thoracic somite 7, rather than wide and truncate relative to that of thoracic somite 7. Nine species of Gonodactylellus are now known from the South China Sea: G. affinis (De Man, 1902); G. aor sp. nov., G. caldwelli Erdmann & Manning, 1998; G. erdmanni Ahyong, 2001; G. lanchesteri (Manning, 1967 b); G. sentosa Ahyong, 2016; G. snidvongsi Naiyanetr, 1987; G. viridis (Serène, 1954); and G. xishaensis Zheng, Wang, Zhang, Sha & Cheng, 2026 (Manning 1995; Moosa 2000; Ahyong 2001; Liu 2008; Ahyong 2016; Zheng et al. 2026). Previous records of G. hendersoni (Manning, 1967 b) from the South China Sea by Manning (1995) are referable to G. snidvongsi (see Ahyong 2008, 2016), and records of G. incipiens from Vietnam (Manning 1995) are based on G. erdmanni and G. viridis (see Ahyong 2001). In addition to G. xishaensis and G. caldwelli, Zheng et al. (2026) reported a damaged, unidentified juvenile female specimen of Gonodactylellus from the Xisha Islands, which they suspected to be undescribed. Notably, this specimen, with short accessory median carinae on the telson (Zheng et al. 2026: fig. 4), possibly represents G. aor sp. nov. or G. erdmanni. Note that although Zheng et al. (2026: fig. 1) recovered only a seemingly distant phylogenetic relationship between their Gonodactylellus sp. and G. erdmanni, the sequences attributed to the latter are misidentifications of G. micronesicus (Manning, 1971) (see Comparative material examined for the sequenced specimen). Sequences of true G. erdmanni are not yet available. The specimens now forming the type series of G. aor sp. nov. were originally reported by Tweedie (1950) as Gonodactylus chiragra (Fabricius, 1781) as part of the wider collections of Stomatopoda and Decapoda made by him in June 1938, now in the collections of the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum. According to Tweedie (1950), specimens were extracted from some intertidal but mostly subtidal coral substrate from a fringing coral reef in the strait between Aor Island and an islet off its northern tip. Although most of Tweedie’s (1950) “ Gonodactylus chiragra ” are referable to G. aor sp. nov., his series includes one specimen of true Gonodactylus chiragra, three specimens of Gonodactylus smithii Pocock, 1893 and two specimens of Gonodactylellus viridis. Tweedie also collected three other species of stomatopod from Aor Island: Chorisquilla brooksii (De Man, 1888), Gonodactylaceus falcatus (Forskål, 1775) and Gonodactylaceus ternatensis (De Man, 1902) (as Gonodactylus falcatus Forskål, 1775) (Tweedie 1949), confirmed by examination of his specimens in the collections of the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum.	en	Ahyong, Shane T. (2026): Three new Indo-West Pacific species of coral reef mantis shrimps (Stomatopoda: Gonodactylidae). Zootaxa 5845 (3): 478-492, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5845.3.3, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5845.3.3
03FD9B1B4570FE24FF6BFB14FAECB96F.taxon	distribution	Distribution. Currently known only from the South China Sea off southeastern Peninsular Malaysia.	en	Ahyong, Shane T. (2026): Three new Indo-West Pacific species of coral reef mantis shrimps (Stomatopoda: Gonodactylidae). Zootaxa 5845 (3): 478-492, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5845.3.3, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5845.3.3
03FD9B1B4575FE27FF6BFC18FD28B8D3.taxon	description	(Fig. 2)	en	Ahyong, Shane T. (2026): Three new Indo-West Pacific species of coral reef mantis shrimps (Stomatopoda: Gonodactylidae). Zootaxa 5845 (3): 478-492, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5845.3.3, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5845.3.3
03FD9B1B4575FE27FF6BFC18FD28B8D3.taxon	materials_examined	Type material. HOLOTYPE: USNM 306037, male (TL 15 mm), NW shore Eua Island, Tongatabu Group, Tonga, 21 ° 18 ' 15 " S, 174 ° 26 ' 20 " W, surge zone, JTW 93 - 18, coll. J. Williams et al., 3 November 1993. PARATYPES: USNM 306091, 1 female (TL 14 mm), 2 male postlarvae (TL 7.0 – 7.5 mm), 1 female postlarva (TL 7.0 mm), same data as holotype; USNM 307138, 1 female (TL 13 mm), SW coast Eua Island, Tongatabu Group, Tonga, 21 ° 25 ' 45 " S, 174 ° 56 ' 50 " W, 0 – 0.9 m, JTW 93 - 21, coll. J. Williams et al., 4 November 1993.	en	Ahyong, Shane T. (2026): Three new Indo-West Pacific species of coral reef mantis shrimps (Stomatopoda: Gonodactylidae). Zootaxa 5845 (3): 478-492, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5845.3.3, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5845.3.3
03FD9B1B4575FE27FF6BFC18FD28B8D3.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis. Ocular scales rounded, separate, bases transverse, each scale as wide as basal width of median spine of rostral plate. Rostral plate basal portion with almost transverse anterior margin; anterolateral angles rounded; lateral margins divergent anteriorly. Raptorial claw dactylus with shallow notch on outer proximal margin. Mandibular palp 2 - articulate. Telson dorsal surface without spines or spinules; intermediate teeth stout, about half length of submedian teeth; median carina posteriorly constricted, apex blunt, rounded; accessory median carina unarmed, extending anteriorly to about midlength of median carina; anterior submedian carina unarmed; submedian and intermediate teeth each with swollen, rounded basal tubercle, unarmed. Uropodal protopod terminal spines subequal in length; upper proximal surface without obtuse swelling behind dorsal carina. Uropodal exopod and endopod inner margins smooth, glabrous; exopod proximal article distally without fixed ventral spine; endopod length 2.06 – 2.34 × width.	en	Ahyong, Shane T. (2026): Three new Indo-West Pacific species of coral reef mantis shrimps (Stomatopoda: Gonodactylidae). Zootaxa 5845 (3): 478-492, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5845.3.3, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5845.3.3
03FD9B1B4575FE27FF6BFC18FD28B8D3.taxon	description	Description of adults. Eyes elongate; cornea subconical, reaching anteriorly beyond apex of antennular article 3. Ocular scales rounded, separate, bases transverse, each scale as wide as basal width of median spine of rostral plate. Antennular peduncle length 0.68 – 0.70 CL. Antennal protopod with fixed, laterally flattened mesiodorsal spine, short anteroventral tooth; antennal scale length 0.36 – 0.42 CL. Rostral plate slightly longer than wide; basal portion trapezoidal, anterior margin almost transverse; anterolateral angles rounded; lateral margins divergent anteriorly; median spine almost twice as long as basal portion, with low ventral keel. Raptorial claw dactylus with shallow notch on outer proximal margin. Propodus proximal movable spine slender; occlusal margin sparsely pectinate proximally. Carpus dorsal margin unarmed. Mandibular palp 2 - articulate. Maxillipeds 1 – 5 each with epipod. Pereopods 1 – 3 endopod slender, linear, 2 - articulate; proximal article unarmed. Thoracic somites 6 and 7 lateral processes subequal, ventral margins subtruncate. Thoracic somite 8 anterolateral margin rounded; sternal keel obsolete. Male pleopod 1 endopod with lateral lobe on posterior ‘ endite’. Abdominal somites 1 – 5 posterolateral angles unarmed. AWCLI 800 – 923. Abdominal somite 6 submedian boss unarmed, intermediate bosses with small apical spine; lateral boss with posterior spine. Telson wider than long, dorsal surface without spines or spinules; 8 – 12 (usually 10) submedian denticles along inner margin of submedian teeth; 2 intermediate denticles. Submedian teeth slender, tapering, almost twice as long as wide, subparallel, without distinct dorsal carina. Intermediate teeth stout, about half length of submedian teeth, without distinct dorsal carina. Submedian and intermediate teeth each with swollen, rounded basal tubercle, unarmed. Lateral teeth indicated by a shallow notch, apex angular, not projecting well off margin of telson. Median carina inflated, tumid, similar in both sexes, posteriorly constricted, apex blunt, rounded. Accessory median carinae low, unarmed, extending anteriorly to about midlength of median carina. Knob absent. Anterior submedian carinae arcuate, smooth, unarmed, extending anterior to dorsal pit of median carina. Telson ventral surface without carinae on submedian or intermediate teeth. Uropodal protopod terminal spines subequal in length, outer spine slightly wider than inner spine, smooth ventrally, neither with longitudinal carina; upper proximal surface without obtuse swelling behind dorsal carina; slender dorsal spine above exopod articulation. Uropodal exopod proximal article outer margin with 11 or 12 (usually 11) movable spines, distalmost not reaching apex of distal article; inner margin smooth, glabrous; distal margin without fixed ventral spine; exopod distal article longitudinally ovate, outer and distal margins setose, inner margin smooth, glabrous. Uropodal endopod broad, length 2.06 – 2.34 × width; with low dorsolateral carina; distal half of outer margin setose, inner margin smooth, glabrous. Colour in life. Not known. Specimens completely faded in preservative.	en	Ahyong, Shane T. (2026): Three new Indo-West Pacific species of coral reef mantis shrimps (Stomatopoda: Gonodactylidae). Zootaxa 5845 (3): 478-492, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5845.3.3, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5845.3.3
03FD9B1B4575FE27FF6BFC18FD28B8D3.taxon	etymology	Etymology. Named for my long-time childhood friend, Kirk Dearing.	en	Ahyong, Shane T. (2026): Three new Indo-West Pacific species of coral reef mantis shrimps (Stomatopoda: Gonodactylidae). Zootaxa 5845 (3): 478-492, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5845.3.3, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5845.3.3
03FD9B1B4575FE27FF6BFC18FD28B8D3.taxon	description	Measurements. Male (n = 1) TL 15 mm, female (n = 2) TL 13 – 14 mm, male postlarva (n = 2) 7 – 7.5 mm, female postlarva (n = 1) TL 7 mm. Measurements of holotype: TL 15 mm, CL 2.95 mm, antennular peduncle length 2.00 mm, antennal scale length 1.25 mm, abdominal somite 5 width 2.50 mm.	en	Ahyong, Shane T. (2026): Three new Indo-West Pacific species of coral reef mantis shrimps (Stomatopoda: Gonodactylidae). Zootaxa 5845 (3): 478-492, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5845.3.3, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5845.3.3
03FD9B1B4575FE27FF6BFC18FD28B8D3.taxon	discussion	Remarks. The presence of the dorsal projection at the base on the submedian and intermediate telson teeth, and glabrous mesial margins of the uropodal exopod and endopod clearly place Gonodactylellus kirki sp. nov. in the G. molyneux group (Ahyong 2001; Ahyong & Erdmann 2007). The new species, however, is unique in the G. molyneux group in its telson ornamentation: the dorsal projections at the base of the submedian and intermediate teeth are rounded and bulbous (versus pointed, usually conical), and all other surfaces of the telson are smooth and unarmed (versus with multiple spinules on the mid-dorsal carinae and dorsal surface of the primary teeth). Perhaps more significant, however, is the striking resemblance of the telson of G. kirki sp. nov. to that of members of Gonodactylopsis Manning, 1969 and Hoplosquilla Holthuis, 1964, particularly Gonodactylopsis komodoensis Erdmann & Manning, 1998 (Ahyong 2022: fig. 5 H) and Hoplosquilla said Erdmann & Manning, 1998 (Erdmann & Manning 1998: fig. 1 h), each of which also has minimal ornamentation on the dorsal carinae and a single rounded, bulbous projection at the base of the submedian and intermediate primary teeth. Nevertheless, G. kirki sp. nov. corresponds to Gonodactylellus in the presence of a mandibular palp (absent in Hoplosquilla) and the rostral plate having a trapezoid basal portion and slender median spine (Fig. 2 A) (versus sharply trispinous in Hoplosquilla and Gonodactylopsis; Ahyong 2022: fig. 5 A). Within Gonodactylellus, another unusual feature of G. kirki sp. nov. is the absence of the fixed distoventral spine on the proximal article of the uropodal exopod, a feature otherwise shared only by G. choprai (Manning, 1967 b) and G. kandi Ahyong & Erdmann, 2007. As is widely recognised, Gonodactylellus is not monophyletic, with the G. molyneux group probably more closely related to Gonodactylopsis and Hoplosquilla than to other members of Gonodactylellus (Barber & Erdmann 2000; Ahyong 2001; Ahyong & Erdmann 2007; Ahyong 2022). The discovery of G. kirki sp. nov., with telson morphology similar to that of Gonodactylopsis and Hoplosquilla, provides further evidence supporting this contention. Within the G. molyneux group, G. kirki sp. nov. is the easternmost naturally occurring species and the only member of the group known from oceanic islands (noting that an undescribed southeast Asian G. snidvongsi - like species currently under study is known from Hawaii as an introduction; Ahyong 2002 b; Steck et al. 2022). Other G. molyneux - group species are known from reefs along the continental margins of the western Pacific between Japan, eastern Australia and New Zealand, and from the Indian Ocean as far west as East Africa and the Persian Gulf (Ahyong 2024). Gonodactylellus kirki sp. nov. is only the second species of the genus to be recorded from Tonga after G. incipiens, based on a specimen from Nukualofa (Manning 1991). Manning’s (1991: fig. 3) figures, however, do not depict G. incipiens; they may be referable to G. erdmanni. That said, the stomatopod fauna of Tonga is poorly documented overall. In addition to the aforementioned records, only seven other stomatopod species are currently recorded from the island group: Bathysquilla microps (Manning, 1961), Haptosquilla helleri Ahyong, 2012 a, Odontodactylus hawaiiensis Manning, 1967 a, Parvisquilla multituberculata (Borradaile, 1898), Pseudosquillisma tweediei Ahyong, 2014, Rayellus raymondi Ahyong, 2010, Triasquilla prima Ahyong, 2013 (Manning 1978 b; Ahyong 2010, 2012 a, 2013, 2014). Gonodactylellus kirki sp. nov. and Rayellus raymondi were collected together at the type locality from shallow subtidal reef habitats in the surge zone at less than 1 m depth. The adults of G. kirki sp. nov. examined herein closely agree morphologically, differing chiefly in the slightly proportionally narrower uropodal endopod in the paratypes (length: width 2.1 in the holotype, 2.3 in the paratypes), differences related to body size. Three post-larvae (TL 7.0 – 7.5 mm; Fig. 2 K, L) were collected together with the male holotype and an adult female paratype. The postlarvae of G. kirki sp. nov. show typical post-larval gonodactylid features including a subtriangular basal portion of the rostral plate that is yet to be clearly demarcated from the median spine (Fig. 2 K) (Morgan & Goy 1987; Ahyong 2002 a; Ahyong et al. 2014), but the diagnostic glabrous mesial margins of the uropodal exopod and endopod are already evident (Fig. 2 L).	en	Ahyong, Shane T. (2026): Three new Indo-West Pacific species of coral reef mantis shrimps (Stomatopoda: Gonodactylidae). Zootaxa 5845 (3): 478-492, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5845.3.3, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5845.3.3
03FD9B1B4575FE27FF6BFC18FD28B8D3.taxon	distribution	Distribution. Currently known only from Tonga.	en	Ahyong, Shane T. (2026): Three new Indo-West Pacific species of coral reef mantis shrimps (Stomatopoda: Gonodactylidae). Zootaxa 5845 (3): 478-492, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5845.3.3, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5845.3.3
03FD9B1B4576FE2BFF6BFC8CFBC1BDEF.taxon	description	(Figs. 3, 4)	en	Ahyong, Shane T. (2026): Three new Indo-West Pacific species of coral reef mantis shrimps (Stomatopoda: Gonodactylidae). Zootaxa 5845 (3): 478-492, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5845.3.3, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5845.3.3
03FD9B1B4576FE2BFF6BFC8CFBC1BDEF.taxon	materials_examined	Type material. HOLOTYPE: AM P 58553, male (TL 26 mm), Middleton Reef, Tasman Sea, Australia, NE to E outer slope, 20 ° 26.1 ' S, 159 ° 08.2 ' E, 10 m, site 10, coll. P. Hutchings, 6 December 1987. Other material examined. AUSTRALIA: AM P 111576, 1 male (TL 26 mm), North Point, Mermaid Cove, Lizard Island, Queensland, 14 ° 38 ' 46 " S, 145 ° 27 ' 13 " E, 8 – 12 m, coral rubble in sand, by hand on SCUBA, coll. M. Capa & M. T. Aguado, 20 August 2012. VANUATU: AM P 72149, 1 male (TL 35 mm), 1 juvenile female (TL 13 mm), Namvalala Reef, Sulua Bay, Emae Island, 17 ° 03 ' 02 " S, 168 ° 21 ' 43 " E, 16 m, Vanuatu- 23, coll. D. Bray et al., June 1996. NEW CALEDONIA: MNHN Sto. 1263, 1 male (TL 42 mm), 22 ° 27.3 ' S, 166 ° 24.0 ' E, 13 m, coral, Lagoon DW 283, November 1984; MNHN Sto. 1264, 1 female (TL 39 mm), 22 ° 49.3 ' S, 166 ° 47.9 ' E, rubble, 32 m, Lagoon DW 343, November 1984; MNHN Sto. 1265, 1 male (TL 38 mm), 1 female (TL 33 mm), 22 ° 41.5 ' S, 167 ° 24.2 ' E, 18 m, coral, forams, Halimeda fragments, Lagoon DW 409, January 1985; MNHN Sto. 1266, 1 male (TL 40 mm), 22 ° 39.5 ' S, 167 ° 18.6 ' E, 40 m, coral, Lagoon DW 412, January 1985; MNHN Sto. 1267, 1 female (TL 53 mm), 18 ° 56.0 ' S, 163 ° 29.2 ' E, 31 m, sand, rubble, Halimeda fragments, Lagoon DW 480, February 1985; MNHN Sto. 1268, 1 male (TL 20 mm), 22 ° 50.2 ' S, 166 ° 53.5 ' E, 25 – 29 m, white sand, coral rubble, Lagoon DW 554, July 1985; MNHN Sto. 1269, 1 female (TL 26 mm), 22 ° 03.2 ' S, 166 ° 54.2 ' E, 27 – 42 m, Halimeda fragments, rubble, Lagoon DW 619, August 1986; MNHN Sto. 1270, 1 male (TL 23 mm), 1 female (TL 28 mm), 21 ° 59.2 ' S, 166 ° 53.6 ' E, 34 – 40 m, coarse sand, coral, Halimeda fragments, Lagoon DW 625, August 1986; MNHN Sto. 1271, 1 female (TL 27 mm), 21 ° 52.8 ' S, 166 ° 35.2 ' E, 22 – 25 m, rubble, Halimeda fragments, Lagoon DW 648, August 1986; MNHN Sto. 1272, 1 female (TL 20 mm), Harcourt Bay, 20 ° 11.8 ' S, 164 ° 09.5 ' E, 12 m, coarse muddy-sand, shells, Halimeda, Lagoon DW 1051, May 1988. LOYALTY ISLANDS: MNHN Sto. 1884, 1 male (TL 26 mm), Loyalty Ridge, 20 ° 22.25 ' S, 166 ° 10.0 ' E, 21 m, dead coral, MUSORSTOM 6 DW 431, 18 February 1989.	en	Ahyong, Shane T. (2026): Three new Indo-West Pacific species of coral reef mantis shrimps (Stomatopoda: Gonodactylidae). Zootaxa 5845 (3): 478-492, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5845.3.3, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5845.3.3
03FD9B1B4576FE2BFF6BFC8CFBC1BDEF.taxon	description	CHESTERFIELD ISLANDS: MNHN Sto. 1273, 1 male (TL 38 mm), Chesterfield Plateau, 19 ° 12.00 ' S, 158 ° 56.80 ' E, 16 – 26 m, rubble, CORAIL 2 DW 84, 25.8.1988	en	Ahyong, Shane T. (2026): Three new Indo-West Pacific species of coral reef mantis shrimps (Stomatopoda: Gonodactylidae). Zootaxa 5845 (3): 478-492, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5845.3.3, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5845.3.3
03FD9B1B4576FE2BFF6BFC8CFBC1BDEF.taxon	materials_examined	MNHN Sto. 1274, 1 female (TL 36 mm), Chesterfield Plateau, 19 ° 27.73 ' S, 158 ° 23.28 ' E, 50 m, sand and Halimeda, CORAIL 2 DW 144, 28 July 1988; MNHN Sto. 1275, 1 female (TL 53 mm), 19 ° 52.10 ' S, 158 ° 20.10 ' E, 37 m, CHALCAL 1 D 34, July 1984; MNHN Sto. 1276, 1 female (TL 56 mm), east Bellona reef, 20 ° 48.93 ' S, 158 ° 30.21 ' E, 50 m, CHALCAL 1 D 45, July 1984. PAPUA NEW GUINEA: MNHN IU- 2014 - 477, 1 female (TL 58 mm), entrance to Steffen Channel, near Manne Island, Kavieng lagoon, New Ireland, 02 ° 43 ' 44.6988 " S, 150 ° 37 ' 8.6304 " E, 43 m, isolated bommie, KAVIENG 2014 KB 34, 12 June 2014; MNHN IU- 2014 - 604, 1 female (TL 24 mm; yellow uropod endopod), KAVIENG 2014 KB 34.	en	Ahyong, Shane T. (2026): Three new Indo-West Pacific species of coral reef mantis shrimps (Stomatopoda: Gonodactylidae). Zootaxa 5845 (3): 478-492, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5845.3.3, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5845.3.3
03FD9B1B4576FE2BFF6BFC8CFBC1BDEF.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis. Ocular scales rounded-subtruncate, each scale as wide or slightly wider than basal width of median spine of rostral plate. Rostral plate basal portion trapezoidal, anterior margins concave in adults; anterolateral angles bluntly angular to rounded; lateral margins divergent anteriorly. Thoracic somite 6 lateral processes truncate ventrally, slightly wider than that of thoracic somite 7. Telson dorsal carinae slender, sharp; median carina low, slender, dorsal margin straight in lateral view, with strong posterior spine; accessory median carinae long, slender, extending anteriorly to or beyond midlength of median carina; intermediate carina extending anteriorly to anterior end of anterior submedian carina and slightly anterior to dorsal pit; lateral teeth present. Uropodal endopod narrow, mesial margin broadly convex.	en	Ahyong, Shane T. (2026): Three new Indo-West Pacific species of coral reef mantis shrimps (Stomatopoda: Gonodactylidae). Zootaxa 5845 (3): 478-492, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5845.3.3, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5845.3.3
03FD9B1B4576FE2BFF6BFC8CFBC1BDEF.taxon	description	Description. Eyes elongate; cornea subconical. Ocular scales separate, rounded-subtruncate, bases transverse, each scale as wide or slightly wider than basal width of median spine of rostral plate. Antennular peduncle length 0.68 – 0.77 CL. Antennal scale length 0.52 – 0.59 CL. Rostral plate slightly longer than wide; basal portion trapezoidal, anterior margins concave; anterolateral angles bluntly angular; lateral margins divergent anteriorly; median spine about twice as long as basal portion, without ventral keel. Raptorial claw dactylus without notch on outer proximal margin. Propodus proximal movable spine slender; occlusal margin sparsely pectinate. Carpus dorsal margin unarmed. Mandibular palp 3 - articulate. Maxillipeds 1 – 5 each with epipod. Pereopods 1 – 3 endopod slender, linear, 2 - articulate; proximal article unarmed. Thoracic somite 6 lateral processes truncate ventrally, slightly wider than that of thoracic somite 7. Thoracic somite 8 anterolateral margin rounded; sternal keel obsolete. Male pleopod 1 endopod with distinct lateral lobe on posterior ‘ endite’. Abdominal somites 1 – 5 posterolateral angles unarmed. AWCLI 757 – 795. Abdominal somite 6 with posteriorly armed submedian, intermediate and lateral bosses. Telson as long as to slightly longer than wide, dorsal surface without spinules; with 14 – 26 (usually 18) spiniform submedian denticles; 2 intermediate denticles present. Submedian teeth with dorsal carina slender. Intermediate teeth apices sharp, extending posteriorly well beyond apices of intermediate denticles; intermediate carina slender, extending anteriorly to anterior end of anterior submedian carina and slightly anterior to dorsal pit; emargination between submedian and intermediate teeth acute. Lateral teeth indicated by a shallow notch, apex angular, not projecting well off margin of telson (not marked on right side in holotype); positioned posterior to level of posterior end of anterior submedian carina. Median carina low, slender, dorsal margin straight to broadly convex in lateral view, with strong posterior spine. Accessory median carinae unarmed, long, extending anteriorly to or beyond posterior half of median carina, sometimes almost to level of dorsal pit. Knob absent. Anterior submedian carinae smooth, unarmed, straight, not extending anteriorly as far as base of median carina. Telson ventral surface without carinae on submedian or intermediate teeth. Uropodal protopod terminal spines with outer spine longer and slightly wider than inner spine, smooth ventrally, neither with longitudinal carina; upper proximal surface without obtuse swelling behind dorsal carina; slender spine above exopod articulation. Uropodal exopod proximal article outer margin with 11 – 13 (usually 11) movable spines, distalmost spine exceeding apex of distal article; inner margin setose; distal margin with fixed ventral spine; exopod distal article rounded, margin setose. Uropodal endopod narrow, length about 2.81 – 3.41 × width; with low dorsolateral carina; mesial and lateral margins broadly convex, lined with single row of setae. Colour in life. Body overall medium to dark green with dull red intersegmental lines. Carapace gastric grooves dull red. Raptorial claw merus body-coloured, meral spot dark purple with white outline; carpus emerald green; propodus dark purple-blue distally; dactylus pink. Eyestalks deep pink. Antennule and antennal distal article and flagellum off-white to pale lemon yellow. Antennal scale orange with purple fringing setae. Pereopods 1 – 3 dark red-maroon. Pleopods dull dark red with purple fringing setae. Uropodal protopod with small bright red dorsal spot basally; exopod distal article and endopod yellow-orange with purple fringing setae.	en	Ahyong, Shane T. (2026): Three new Indo-West Pacific species of coral reef mantis shrimps (Stomatopoda: Gonodactylidae). Zootaxa 5845 (3): 478-492, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5845.3.3, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5845.3.3
03FD9B1B4576FE2BFF6BFC8CFBC1BDEF.taxon	etymology	Etymology. Named in honour of my late friend and colleague, Roy Caldwell, for his outstanding contributions to zoology, especially for the extraordinary illumination he brought to our knowledge of vision and behaviour of stomatopods. Roy conducted much of his stomatopod work in eastern Australia and Gonodactylus was one of his favourite genera, so it is fitting to name this species in his honour.	en	Ahyong, Shane T. (2026): Three new Indo-West Pacific species of coral reef mantis shrimps (Stomatopoda: Gonodactylidae). Zootaxa 5845 (3): 478-492, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5845.3.3, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5845.3.3
03FD9B1B4576FE2BFF6BFC8CFBC1BDEF.taxon	description	Measurements. Male (n = 10) TL 20 – 42 mm; female (n = 13) TL 13 – 58 mm. Measurements of holotype: TL 26 mm, CL 6.29 mm, A 1 peduncle 4.49 mm, A 2 scale 3.54 mm, AS 5 width 4.90 mm.	en	Ahyong, Shane T. (2026): Three new Indo-West Pacific species of coral reef mantis shrimps (Stomatopoda: Gonodactylidae). Zootaxa 5845 (3): 478-492, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5845.3.3, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5845.3.3
03FD9B1B4576FE2BFF6BFC8CFBC1BDEF.taxon	discussion	Remarks. Under the name Gonodactylus smithii Pocock, 1893, Ahyong (2001) reported an unusual TL 26 mm male specimen from Middleton Reef, Tasman Sea, suspected to be undescribed, having strongly elongated accessory median carinae on the telson. Restudy of the Middleton Reef specimen and other material has revealed that it belongs to a new species, herein named Gonodactylus roycaldwelli sp. nov. The new species most closely resembles Go. smithii and Go. acutirostris De Man, 1898 in the concave anterior margins and anteriorly divergent lateral margins of the rostral plate, gracile telson features, with slender dorsal carinae and a low median carina with prominent posterior spine, and in the dark purple (in life) meral spot on the raptorial claws. The new species differs from Go. smithii and Go. acutirostris in the prominently longer accessory median carinae of the telson, which reaches anteriorly to or beyond the midlength of the median carina (sometimes almost to the level of the dorsal pit), rather than reaching at most to the posterior one-third of the median carina. Gonodactylus roycaldwelli sp. nov. further differs from Go. acutirostris in having blunt rather than sharp anterolateral corners of the basal portion of the rostral plate. From the remaining species of Gonodactylus, Go. roycaldwelli sp. nov. is readily distinguished by the possession of a posterior spine on the median carina of the telson (always unarmed in the other species). Differences in colour-in-life are also evident between Go. roycaldwelli sp. nov. and Go. smithii, the former having white to pale yellow antennules and orange antennal scales (Fig. 4), and the latter having clear, dull yellow antennules and antennal scales (Schram et al. 2013: fig. 49.42 A). The specimen shown in Fig. 4 was collected off Brisbane, southeastern Queensland from a crevice inside a live Favia coral head in 2010 (Roy Caldwell pers. comm.), but unfortunately was not preserved; images of the specimen have appeared in several works as a representative stomatopod under the name Go. smithii (Schram et al. 2013; Thoen et al. 2017; Wolf et al. 2017). As understood at present, Go. smithii is a species complex (Ahyong 2005; Ahyong et al. 2008; Brokensha et al. 2025) and is currently under review (Ahyong, unpublished). Relevant here is that three nominal species are currently in the synonymy of Go. smithii (Gonodactylus anancyrus Borradaile, 1900, Go. arabica Ghosh, 1990, and Go. minikoiensis Ghosh, 1990), but none are referable to Go. roycaldwelli sp. nov.; typical of Go. smithii, all have short accessory median carinae on the telson (see Ahyong 2001). The 26 mm male holotype of Go. roycaldwelli sp. nov. differs from larger specimens in having a narrower, less inflated median carina of the telson (Fig. 3 H) (with a relatively straight, rather than convex dorsal margin) (Fig. 3 I), and in having slightly more rounded ocular scales (Fig. 3 A versus Fig. 3 M), differences related to body size. The lateral tooth of the telson in the holotype of Go. roycaldwelli sp. nov. is clearly indicated on the left side only; abnormal development of the lateral tooth is also evident in the respective holotypes of several other gonodactylids including: Gonodactylaceus randalli (Manning, 1978) (Manning 1978 a: fig. 6 b), Gonodactylellus micronesicus (Manning, 1971) (Manning 1971: fig. 2 d), and Gonodactylopsis drepanophora (De Man, 1902) (Ahyong 2022: fig. 3 E). The TL 13 mm juvenile female of Go. roycaldwelli sp. nov. from Vanuatu (AM P 72149) differs from adults in aspects related to its immaturity: the concavity of the anterior margins of the rostral plate is yet to develop (Fig. 3 L), and the accessory median carinae of the telson are only subtly defined anteriorly (best observed by temporarily drying the telson surface and viewing under obliquely directed light), although even at this small size, they can be seen to extend to the anterior half of the median carina. Notably, the much elongated accessory median carinae in Go. roycaldwelli sp. nov. superficially resembles the condition seen in large specimens of Gonodactylellus rubriguttatus (TL 32 mm; Ahyong 2017: fig. 2 C). The two species, however, can be readily separated on genus characters, most notably the narrow ocular scales (medially fused in G. rubriguttatus), versus wider and separate in Go. roycaldwelli sp. nov. The comparative width of the ocular scales is currently the primary character distinguishing Gonodactylellus and Gonodactylus, and as observed by Ahyong (2001), the range of variation in ocular scale width within both genera makes the generic distinction somewhat arbitrary. The ocular scales in Go. roycaldwelli sp. nov. and Go. smithii are comparatively narrower than in other species of Gonodactylus, but whose width (especially in smaller specimens) approaches that of some species of Gonodactylellus. As currently composed, however, neither Gonodactylus nor Gonodactylellus are monophyletic (Barber 2000; Ahyong 2001, 2022; Zheng et al. 2025); satisfactory diagnosis of the two genera must await further revision. Gonodactylus roycaldwelli sp. nov. may differ ecologically from Go. smithii. Ahyong (2001) recorded Go. smithii from the shore to 62 m depth. The specimen of Go. smithii from 62 m, however, was collected in temperate Bass Strait, Victoria, far south of the otherwise known range of any species of Gonodactylus; it is almost certainly a vagrant, probably as a result of tropical larvae carried south by the East Australian Current. Other records of Go. smithii are from intertidal and shallow subtidal habitats down to about 2 m depth, but possibly as deep as 18 m (records require verification; Cheroske & Cronin 2005). Nevertheless, Go. roycaldwelli sp. nov. is currently only known from subtidal habitats but probably overlaps bathymetrically with G. smithii. The holotype of Go. roycaldwelli sp. nov. were collected at 8 – 12 m depth, the Vanuatu specimens at 16 m (where known), and the Papuan specimens at 43 m. Specimens from the New Caledonia lagoon and Chesterfield Islands reported by Moosa (1991) as Go. smithii, taken from 12 – 50 m depth, were re-examined herein; all are referable to Go. roycaldwelli sp. nov. Gonodactylus roycaldwelli sp. nov. is currently known from localities between New Ireland, Vanuatu and eastern Australia, but wider subtidal sampling in the southwestern Pacific will probably reveal a wider range for the species. On the basis of sequence divergence, Palecanda et al. (2020) and Zheng et al. (2026) reported the potential presence of more than one Go. smithii - like species in eastern Australia and the South China Sea, respectively; one of these species might be referable to Go. roycaldwelli. The holotype of Go. roycaldwelli was collected together with Chorisquilla tweediei (Serène, 1950) (Ahyong 2001).	en	Ahyong, Shane T. (2026): Three new Indo-West Pacific species of coral reef mantis shrimps (Stomatopoda: Gonodactylidae). Zootaxa 5845 (3): 478-492, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5845.3.3, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5845.3.3
03FD9B1B4576FE2BFF6BFC8CFBC1BDEF.taxon	distribution	Distribution. Southwestern Pacific from eastern Australia (Queensland; Middleton Reef, Tasman Sea), Vanuatu, the Loyalty Islands, New Caledonia and the Chesterfield Islands; 8 – 50 m depth.	en	Ahyong, Shane T. (2026): Three new Indo-West Pacific species of coral reef mantis shrimps (Stomatopoda: Gonodactylidae). Zootaxa 5845 (3): 478-492, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5845.3.3, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5845.3.3
