Neophrys, Lee & Forges & Ng, 2019

Lee, Bee Yan, Forges, Bertrand Richer De & Ng, Peter K. L., 2019, Deep-sea spider crabs of the family Epialtidae MacLeay, 1838, from Papua New Guinea, with a redefinition of Tunepugettia Ng, Komai & Sato, 2017, and descriptions of two new genera (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura: Majoidea), Zootaxa 4619 (1), pp. 1-44 : 35

Genus Neophrys n. gen.

Type species. Neophrys inopinata n. sp., by present designation, gender feminine.

Diagnosis. Carapace pyriform, covered with thin layer of setae. Pseudorostral spines cylindrical, straight, long, diverging in V. Supraorbital eave fused with carapace, slight pre-orbital angle. Postorbital lobe elongated, rounded distal margin. Carapace regions defined with long spines. Basal antennal article longer than broad, narrow in width. Pterygostomal region with granules. Chelipeds slender. Ambulatory legs slender; P2 longest. Adult female pleon rounded, with all somites and telson free.

Etymology. The Latin name for the new genus is derived from the characteristic lack of pre-orbital lobe that is analogous to the lack of an “eyebrow” for the type species, where “ Ne ” means “not” in both Greek and Latin, and “ ophrys ” means “eyebrow” in Greek. Gender feminine.

Remarks. Neophrys inopinata n. sp. in this genus is completely covered with a layer of short velvet-like tomentum, as in the two other genera, Tunepugettia Ng, Komai & Sato, 2017 , and Crocydocinus n. gen. There are, however, many differences. The prominent pre-orbital angle seen in Rochinia and allied genera is absent in Neophrys n. gen. The species in Neophrys n. gen. has similar long lateral branchial spines as the species in Samadinia Ng & Richer de Forges, 2013 , but the species in this genus have long hepatic spines that is directed outwards, which is typically a short spine in other genera. As there are no male specimens known for this genus, the pleonal characters of this genus were not compared between the other morphological close genera. Neophrys n. gen. is currently monotypic, with only one species known thus far.