identifier	taxonID	type	CVterm	format	language	title	description	additionalInformationURL	UsageTerms	rights	Owner	contributor	creator	bibliographicCitation
03E54A3CFFE4FFD3FF3B94EDA6BEFEC3.text	03E54A3CFFE4FFD3FF3B94EDA6BEFEC3.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text	http://rs.tdwg.org/ontology/voc/SPMInfoItems#GeneralDescription	text/html	en	Leptuca Bott 1973	<div><p>Genus Leptuca Bott, 1973</p><p>Type species. Gelasimus stenodactylus H. Milne Edwards &amp; Lucas, 1843 .</p></div>	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03E54A3CFFE4FFD3FF3B94EDA6BEFEC3	Public Domain	No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.		MagnoliaPress via Plazi	Thurman, Carl;Capparelli, Mariana	Thurman, Carl, Capparelli, Mariana (2026): Description of Leptuca capillosa sp. nov., a new fiddler crab species (Crustacea, Decapoda, Ocypodidae) from the continental coast of Ecuador. Zootaxa 5853 (1): 95-107, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5853.1.6, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5853.1.6
03E54A3CFFE4FFDDFF3B9548A66CF80E.text	03E54A3CFFE4FFDDFF3B9548A66CF80E.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text	http://rs.tdwg.org/ontology/voc/SPMInfoItems#GeneralDescription	text/html	en	Leptuca capillosa Thurman & Capparelli 2026	<div><p>Leptuca capillosa sp. nov.</p><p>(Figures 2–4)</p><p>Celuca sp. — Crane 1975: 327.</p><p>Material examined. Holotype: male (CW 10.4 mm, CL 6.9 mm) (USNM143602), <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=-79.99839&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=-3.270819" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long -79.99839/lat -3.270819)">Puerto Bolivar</a>, El Oro, Ecuador, -3.270819, -79.998388, coll. J. Crane, April 1944 . Paratypes: 1 male (CW 13.8 mm, CL 8.8 mm) (USNM143601), <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=-79.877846&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=-2.188658" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long -79.877846/lat -2.188658)">El Salado</a>, Guayaquil, Ecuador, -2.188658, -79.877842, coll. J. Crane, April 1944 .— 1 male (CW 11.75 mm, CL 7.53 mm) (UNI850), <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=-79.13475&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=1.115851" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long -79.13475/lat 1.115851)">El Rompido</a>, Esmeraldas, Ecuador, 1.115851, -79.134752, coll. C. Thurman &amp; M. Capparelli, 22 March 2019 .— 1 female (CW 10.05 mm, CL 6.9 mm) (UNI853), <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=-80.035866&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=0.6335" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long -80.035866/lat 0.6335)">Muisne</a>, Esmeraldas, Ecuador, 0.63350, - 80.035866, coll. C. Thurman &amp; M. Capparelli, 19 March 2019 .</p><p>Other material examined (Table 1): 2 females (CW 9.56 mm, CL 6.25 mm; CW 9.63 mm, CL 6.56 mm) (UNI849), ESM, <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=-77.88362&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=1.293132" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long -77.88362/lat 1.293132)">San Lorenzo</a>, 1.293132 -77.8836180, sandy mud, coll. Thurman et al., 22 March 2019.— 1 male (CW 9.78 mm, CL 3.06 mm) (UNI852), ESM, La Tola, <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=-79.07869&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=1.172266" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long -79.07869/lat 1.172266)">Cayapas-Mataje</a>, 1.172266, -79.078686, mud, coll. Thurman et al., 21 March 2019.— 10 males (CW 6.60 mm, CL 4.12 mm; CW 7.60 mm, CL 5.11 mm; CW 8.14 mm, CL 5.49 mm; CW 8.17 mm, CL 4.95 mm; CW 8.54 mm, CL 5.33 mm; CW 8.80 mm, CL 5.75 mm; CW 9.62 mm, CL 6.47 mm; CW 10.87 mm, CL 7.26 mm), 4 females (CW 8.04 mm, CL 5.5 mm; CW 8.33 mm, CL 5.45 mm; CW 8.40 mm, CL 5.49 mm; CW 8.53 mm, CL 5.58 mm) (UNI850), ESM, <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=-79.13475&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=1.115851" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long -79.13475/lat 1.115851)">El Rompido</a>, 1.115851, -79.134752, muddy stream bank, coll. Thurman et al., 21 March 2019.— 5 males (CW 7.25 mm, CL 4.80 mm; CW 7.35 mm, CL 4.81 mm; CW 8.58 mm, CL 5.93 mm; CW 8.73 mm, CL 5.62 mm; CW 9.62 mm, CL 5.84 mm), 2 females (CW 8.29 mm, CL 5.85 mm; CW 9.34 mm, CL 5.69 mm) (UNI851) ESM, 1.050369, -79.31240, muddy stream bank, coll. Thurman et al., 22 March 2019.— 3 females (CW 7.81 mm, CL 5.38 mm; CW 7.94 mm, CL 5.33 mm; CW 8.78 mm, CL 5.88 mm) (UNI870), ESM, <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=-79.3124&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=1.050369" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long -79.3124/lat 1.050369)">Puente Montalvo</a>, 1.050369, -79.31240, muddy stream bank, coll. Thurman et al., 22 March 2019.— 1 male (CW 7.17 mm, CL 4.23 mm), 3 females (CW 5.76 mm, CL 3.62 mm; CW 8.80 mm, CL 5.62 mm; CW 8.88 mm, CL 5.66 mm) (UNI848), ESM, <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=-79.41673&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=1.04937" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long -79.41673/lat 1.04937)">Rio Verde</a>, 1.04937, -79.416731, silty clay, coll. Thurman et al., 17 March 2019.— 1 female (CW 8.38 mm, CL 5.67 mm) (UNI853), ESM, <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=-80.035866&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=0.6335" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long -80.035866/lat 0.6335)">Muisne</a>, 0.63350, -80.035866, sandy silt tide flat, coll. Thurman et al., 18 March 2019.— 10 males (CW 7.7 mm, CL 5.07 mm; CW 7.98 mm, CL 5.25 mm; CW 8.03 mm, CL 5.35 mm; CW 8.04 mm, CL 5.29 mm; CW 8.04 mm, CL 5.24 mm; CW 8.20 mm, CL 5.27 mm; CW 8.22mm, CL 5.52 mm; CW 8.25 mm, CL 5.52 mm; CW 8.27 mm, CL 5.33 mm; CW; CW 9.02 mm, CL 5.91 mm), 4 females (CW 7.13 mm, CL 4.59 mm; CW 7.32 mm, CL 4.72 mm; CW 7.52 mm, CL 5.02 mm; CW 7.57mm, CL 4.82 mm) (UNI 847), ESM, San Jose de Chamanga, 0.270103, -79.957946, sandy mud, coll. Thurman et al., 18 March 2019.</p><p>Etymology. The specific name capillosa is derived from the Latin adjective capilla alluding to the conspicuous small oval patches of pile on the anterior, dorso-lateral carapace surface.</p><p>Description. Males small size, maximum CW 13.82 mm; female smaller than males, maximum CW = 10.05 mm (Figs. 2, 3). Carapace shield-shaped, surface semi-glossy with small tubercles giving surface rough appearance. Frontal lobe sub-spatulate, width 30.0 ± 2.0% maximum carapace width (Fig. 2A, E). Frontal groove shallow, broad. Posterior front margin not strongly angled. Eyebrow about equal to width of eyestalk (Fig. 2A, E); suborbital margin with low, elongated dentations (Fig. 2E); orbital floor smooth. Pterygostomial region covered with long setae. Frontal ridge of carapace a smooth, raised line. Anterior dorso-lateral line perpendicular to frontal edge and smooth, with pile patches (Fig. 3A); antero-lateral angle forms right angle without sharp point (Fig. 2A); posterior dorso-lateral line beaded, curving inward toward carapace midline, terminus abrupt (Fig. 2A); single posterior stria below dorso-lateral line, beaded with a patch of pubescence and a few setae (Fig. 2A). Cephalothorax arched in lateral view; area behind intersection of upper and lower eyebrow margins sulcate (Fig. 2A); oval or oblong patches of pubescence on lateral hepatic regions of carapace (Figs. 2A, 2E); meso-gastric and cardiac regions forming clear H-depression (Fig. 2A); posterior extensions of H-depression following suture lines between cardiac and branchial regions giving posterior carapace a “W-shaped” appearance; H-depression less prominent and W-shape of sutures less obvious in females. Female carapace similar to males but central region slightly swollen (Fig.3A).</p><p>Outer surface of manus on major cheliped of male with small tubercles (Fig. 2B, C); margin above carpal cavity extensively setose (Fig. 2A, D); lower manus with sub-marginal ridge or keel of tubercles not extending to pollex (Fig. 2B); dactyl and pollex appear more blade-like than tubular; wide gap between pollex and dactyl; pollex smooth with single, medial large compound tooth (Figs. 2B, C); upper edge of pollex with line of tubercles, tip with bifurcated tubercle; large amount of pubescence on pollex near articulation junction (Fig. 2B, D); outer surface of dactyl smooth; 4 proximal tubercles in gape and one distal (Fig. 2B–D); largest of these about 1/3 distance from dactyl propodus articulation; inner surface of dactyl and propodus smooth and shiny; central inner manus swollen, oblique ridge with line of distinct, large tubercles starting at lower edge of inner manus extending to carpal cavity (Fig. 2D). From apex, line of tubercles extending upwards to dorsal edge of smooth palm; upper edge of carpal cavity heavily setose (Fig. 2C, D); articulation cuff with 2–3 low tubercles; longer line of large tubercles parallel to articulation junction following edge of manus dissipating at pollex base (Fig. 2C). Dactyl inner surface of smooth and unremarkable. Carpal and merus segments behind major cheliped not distinctive; dorsal surface of carpus with ample pubescence. Pollex and dactyl of minor cheliped serrated; setae primarily on inner surface of dactyl and pollex terminus (Fig. 2A, B). Distal dactyl and pollex keratinized; female minor cheliped similar to males, long setae at terminus of pollex and dactyl (Fig. 3C).</p><p>Walking legs slender (Fig. 2F). Second walking leg dactyl, carpus and merus without pubescence and setae sparse; merus segment much longer than wide (width 34% length), female merus segment slightly broader (width 45% length) (Fig. 3B).</p><p>Adult male with maximum pleon width 20% of CW while adult female with maximum pleon width 70% CW (Fig. 3C).</p><p>G1 shaft triangular, strongly curved with contour of abdomen; medial and lateral flange or “thumb” present; distal end sharply angled; genital pore at terminus of a cuticular tip (Fig. 4A–C).</p><p>Female vulva with small anterior tubercle; no tubercle on genital operculum.</p><p>Morphometrics. CW varies from 5.76 to 11.91 mm. Average CW among all populations is 8.46 ± 1.12 mm (Fig. 5). Male average CW is 8.57 ± 1.22 mm while in females 8.30 ± 0.99 mm. Carapace width is linear and significantly correlated with length. There is no difference between males and females. On the other hand, frontal width (FW) relative to CW varies from 28 to 34% (Fig. 6). Although FW appears to decline with increase in CW, the correlation in not significant. Thus, the average CF/CW relationship is 30 ± 2.0 % regardless of gender. For males, the relationship between CW and major cheliped length (propodus + dactyl) is significantly correlated (Fig. 7A). Also, as the CW increases, the pollex/propodus ratio also increases significantly from 35 to 55% (Fig. 7B). Consequently, as males grow larger, there is a transition from a brachychelous to a leptochelous state. Pleon width (PW) relative to CW varies between males and females (Fig. 8). In immature stages (CW&lt;7mm), PW is probably about 40% CW for both males and females. As males grow, the pleon shrinks to about 26 ± 3 % CW (Fig. 8A). On the other hand, in females, the pleon broadens to about 70% of CW (average 59 ± 8%) (Fig. 8B). However, the PW/CW ratio change with CW is not statistically significant.</p><p>Colouration. The live colouration of Leptuca capillosa sp. nov. is unknown as the specimens were collected along with other species and preserved right away in 80% EtOH, their colour had dissipated before a description could be made.</p><p>Courtship behaviour. Unknown.</p><p>Distribution. This species is currently only found in Ecuador, South America, Tropical Eastern Pacific Ocean. Leptuca capillosa sp. nov. can be found between San Lorenzo (1.293267, 78.836346) and San Jose de Chamanga (0.272833, 79.963633), Esmeraldas (Table 1), Golfo de Guayaquil (Crane 1975; Figs. 1, 8A), El Malecón La Salado, Guayaquil (-2.188638, -79.877842) and Puerto Bolivar, El Oro (-3.270819, -79.998388).</p><p>Ecological notes. Leptuca capillosa sp. nov. lives on brackish intertidal flats (435 ± 277 mOsm; 14.5 ± 9.2 PSU) where the substrata are usually sandy mud, silt or muddy clay (Fig. 9). The species was not found in habitats with osmolality below 120 mOsm/4 PSU or higher than 640 mOsm/9 PSU except for one locality, a desiccating pool at Muisne, ESM, where the species was collected in high salinity (941 mOsm/31 PSU). Their habitat usually is sparsely vegetated with only small mangrove seedlings or thin grasses (Fig. 9). At some locations, we observed U. princeps, U. heteroplura, U. intermeda, and U. stylifera in the lower regions of the littoral zone below L. capillosa sp. nov. Often the new species commingles with mid-tidal colonies of L. beebei, L. deichmanni, L. dorotheae, L. inaequalis, L. terpsichores, M. argillicola, and M. ecuadoriensis . It was not usually found in the upper intertidal zone with M. galapagensis, L. latimanus, L. tomentosa and L. umbratila .</p><p>Remarks.The only previous reference to this species is by Crane (1975:327) where she mentioned “undetermined Celuca specimens” in New York Zoological Society collection (nos. 44200 and 44201) which are currently in the USNM (USNM 143601, USNM 143602) (See Fig. 4). Crane remarked that the two male specimens “were close to members of the superspecies Leptuca crenulata ”. Upon examination, both USNM specimens clearly possess oval patches of pubescence on the anterior dorso-lateral surface of the carapace (Fig. 4D). The major cheliped has gape tubercles identical in pattern to that of our specimens from Ecuador. These specimens were chosen as the type material for this new species. One male specimen is complete (USNM 143602) while the other (USNM 143601) is missing the large cheliped and the right gonopod (G1) has been removed (see Fig. 4A–C).</p><p>Thurman et al. (2025) indicated that the undescribed Leptuca species shared a clade with L. festae and L. aff. dorotheae (from Costa Rica) based on neighbour-joining of COI nucleotide sequences. In a recent study by Shih (unpublished) using 4 genes (16S, COI, 28S, and H3), the new species appears related to L. limicola, L. oerstedi, L. festae and L. tomentosa . (GenBank accession numbers: PQ524261, PQ524262; submitted by Hsi-Te Shih, National Chung Hsing University, Taiwan). These samples were taken from a male specimen (UNI 847; San Jose de Chamanga; 0.270103, -79.957946) and a female (UNI 850; ESM, El Rompido; 1.115851, -79.134752).</p><p>Based on the collections of Thurman et al. (2025), there are 14 other Leptuca species along the coast of continental Ecuador. Except for L. umbratila, L. festae and L. tomentosa, the other 11 species of Leptuca the species are very small and can be easily overlooked during collecting. The conspicuous oval patches of pile/pubescence on the anterior dorso-lateral surfaces of the carapace in both males (Figs. 2A, 4A) and females (Fig. 3A) are the definitive diagnostic character distinguishing L. capillosa sp. nov. from the nine species with very little or no pile/pubescence on the dorsal cephalothorax: L. beebei, L. deichmanni, L. dorotheae, L. festae, L. latimanus, L. saltitanta, L. stenodactylus, L. tenupedis and L. terpsichores . It should be noted that male L. crenulata from California do not have patches of pubescence on the carapace (Crane 1975: 233, 234, 567). The pattern of pubescence in five other species differs clearly from that on L. capillosa sp. nov. (Thurman et al. 2025): 1) L. inaequalis has a distinct pattern of 6 to 8 small tufts of pubescence forming a rectangle around the H-depression, 2) both L. batuenta and 3) L. tomentosa have lines of pubescence in posterior sutures of the H-depression but no pubescence on the anterior carapace, 4) L. tallanica has 2 to 6 small comma-shaped patches of pubescence in the H-depression and posterior suture junctions (von Hagen 1968), and 5) L. umbratila has pile/pubescence distributed uniformly on the cephalothorax. Recently, Lombardo-Gonzales (2026) described L. bacillopilosa from the Pacific coast of Panama. In this species, the pubescence forms a symmetrical V-shaped patches on the carapace mesogastric region in both sexes. The small distinct oval patches of pubescence on anterior dorso-lateral carapace surface delineates both male and female L. capill osa sp. nov. from all other Pacific Leptuca .</p></div>	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03E54A3CFFE4FFDDFF3B9548A66CF80E	Public Domain	No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.		MagnoliaPress via Plazi	Thurman, Carl;Capparelli, Mariana	Thurman, Carl, Capparelli, Mariana (2026): Description of Leptuca capillosa sp. nov., a new fiddler crab species (Crustacea, Decapoda, Ocypodidae) from the continental coast of Ecuador. Zootaxa 5853 (1): 95-107, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5853.1.6, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5853.1.6
