Pagurixus sp. 1

Celia, Maria, Malay, D., Miller, Allison K. & Komai, Tomoyuki, 2021, Hermit crabs (Crustacea: Decapoda: Anomura: Paguroidea) of the Northern Marianas, including new records and an updated checklist, Micronesica 2021 (1), pp. 1-29 : 14

Pagurixus sp. 1 ( P. anceps species group)

Material. 1 female (SIO-BIC C14514), Guguan Island , station AKM-GUG-02 .

Remarks. The sole female specimen is referred to a species of the Pagurixus anceps ( Forest 1957) group, but still differs from known species of the group in the mesial margin of the right cheliped dactylus bordered with a distinct, denticulated ridge. The lack of dorsomesial spines on the right cheliped carpus (except for a tubercle at dorsomesial distal angle) and the possession of paired gonopores are also characteristic. It is likely that the present specimen represents an undescribed species, but we feel hesitation to formally describe a new species based only on a single, incomplete female specimen. Formal description of a new species is deferred in the hope that additional specimens become available for study.