Afrophila, Galil, 2009

Galil, Bella S., 2009, An examination of the genus Philyra Leach, 1817 (Crustacea, Decapoda, Leucosiidae) with descriptions of seven new genera and six new species, Zoosystema 31 (2), pp. 279-320 : 286

Genus Afrophila n. gen.

TYPE SPECIES. — Philyra punctata Bell, 1855 .

ETYMOLOGY. — Afrophila refers to the distribution of the type species, Afrophila punctata (Bell, 1855) n. comb., along the southern coast of Africa. Gender feminine.

DIAGNOSIS. — Carapace subovate, globose; regions of carapace nearly indistinct. Dorsal surface of carapace punctate, minutely granulate. Frontal region slightly produced, medially indented; frontal margin medially denticulate. Antennular fossa not quite sealed by basal antennular segment. Antennae short, inserted between antennular fossa and orbit. Orbits small, rounded, upper orbital margin unisutured. Eyes retractable. Epistome bilobate. Anterior margin of efferent branchial channel forms part of lower orbital margin, continuous with crenulate subhepatic margin, projecting beyond frontal margin. External maxilliped exopod reniform, not quite reaching anterior margin; endopods ogive, bearing in female setose fringe lengthwise; endopodal ischium longer than subtriangular merus. Lateral and posterior margins of carapace closely beaded; Hepatic facet distinct, lower margin angulate. Epimeral margin meeting lateral margin at posterior margin, minutely beaded. Chelipeds subequal; longer, stockier in adult male than in female specimens. Cheliped merus subcylindrical, slightly swollen proximally on anterior margin, surface minutely granulate, granulate. Fingers as long as propodus. Pereiopods slender, short. Pereiopodal meri longer than carpi and propodi; dactyli longer than propodi, lanceolate, terminating in cornute tips. Male abdominal sulcus deep, nearly reaching buccal cavity. First abdominal segment of male anvil-shaped; second segment transversely narrow, thickened laterally. Third to fifth abdominal segments fused. Proximal margin of sixth segment sinuous, lateral margin bearing distinct ridge proximally fitting into suture between sternal segments, lacking subterminal denticle, telson laciniate. Female abdomen with first two segments transversely narrow, yoke-shaped, segments three to six fused, greatly enlarged, shield-like. First male pleopod elongate, slender, sinuous, distally crook-shaped. Second male pleopod short, curved, apex scoop-like, acuminate.

REMARKS

Though superficially resembling Philyra s.s., Afrophila n. gen. is distinguished by the distally crook-shaped male first pleopod that lacks the subterminal alate process of former genus, and the form of the male abdomen, with its trapezoid first segment and jointed sixth segment as opposed to the transversely narrow first segment and fused sixth segment in Philyra s.s.