Munidopsis acalipha, Published, 2007

Published, First, 2007, Species of the genus Munidopsis Whiteaves, 1784 from the Indian and Pacific Oceans and reestablishment of the genus Galacantha A. Milne-Edwards, 1880 (Crustacea, Decapoda, Galatheidae), Zootaxa 1417, pp. 1-135 : 30-32

Munidopsis acalipha n. sp.

( Fig. 17)

Material examined. Indonesia, Makassar Strait , CORINDON 2, Stn 210, 338 m: 1 M 6.6 mm, holotype (MNHN-Ga 1422) .

Etymology. From the Greek akaliphos, uncovered, in reference to the nearly absence of setae in the body.

Description. Carapace slightly longer than broad; dorsal surface moderately convex from side to side, smooth, nearly devoid of setae and striae; cervical groove moderately distinct, regions well defined, gastric and cardiac regions more convex than branchial regions. Gastric region with pair of large rounded epigastric processes. Cardiac region triangular, preceded by deep transverse groove. Rostrum broad, horizontal in lateral view, 0.3 length of remaining carapace, maximum width one-quarter carapace breadth, apex rounded; dorsal surface slightly convex, smooth. Frontal margin concavely oblique behind ocular peduncle, leading to slightly produced process behind antennal peduncle, then concavely transverse toward rounded anterolateral corner of carapace. Lateral margins smooth, weakly convex, with distinct notch at end of anterior cervical groove. Posterior margin preceded by moderately elevated ridge.

Pterygostomian flap smooth, anteriorly margin angular.

Sternum as long as wide, maximum width at sternite 7. Sternites smooth; sternite 3 broad, not bilobate, about 6 times wider than long; sternite 4 3.5 times wider than sternite 3.

Abdomen smooth; segments 2ñ4 each with produced transverse ridge followed by shallow transverse groove; segment 6 with weakly produced posterolateral lobes and nearly transverse posteromedian margin. Telson composed of 8 plates; posterior plates combined about 1.5 times as wide as long.

Ocular peduncle movable, without eye-spine; cornea subglobular, as long as remaining eyestalk, reaching end of antennal segment 3. Well-developed spine ventral to front margin between ocular and antennal peduncles.

Basal article of antennular peduncle with strong dorsolateral and distolateral spines; distomesial margin with small granules but no spine.

Articles 1–3 of antennal peduncle with distomesial and distolateral angles smooth; segment 4 unarmed.

Mxp 3 ischium granulated, as long as merus measured on extensor margin, flexor and extensor margins terminating in small blunt spine; 17 or 18 denticles on crista dentate; flexor margin of merus with 3 spines decreasing in size distally; extensor margin with small distal spine.

P1 long and slender, more than 3.5 times (left) longer than carapace, right P1 slightly shorter, unarmed but covered with numerous minute granules and some short setae on merus to dactylus. Merus of right P1 2.5 times length of carpus; carpus 2.5 times longer than high. Palm slender, nearly 1.5 length of carpus. Fingers 0.7 times length of palm, opposable margins nearly straight, not gaping, distally spooned; fixed finger without distolateral carina.

P2–P4 long and slender, smooth, unarmed, nearly devoid of setae, and decreasing in size posteriorly, P2 longest, clearly not reaching end of P1. P2 merus slightly shorter than carapace, 6 times longer than high, 3 times length of carpus and 1.5 length of propodus; carpus without longitudinal crest on lateral surface; propodus 7 times as long as high, ventral margin unarmed except for one minute corneous spine on distal portion; dactylus 0.7–0.8 length of propodus, curved, flexor margin curved and smooth.

Epipods absent from pereiopods.

Remarks. The new species is closely related to M. palmatus Khodkina, 1973 from Chile to the Gulf of California ( Hendrickx 2001, Baba 2005), in having epigastric processes, rostrum broad at base, abdomen spineless, eye-spine absent, P2 not reaching end of P1, and P2–4 dactyli entire on flexor margin. The following aspects can easily differentiate the two species:

— The carapace surface is smooth in M. acalipha , being granulated in M. palmatus .

— The anterolateral angle of the carapace bears a distinct spine in M. palmatus , whereas this spine is absent in the new species.

— The basal article of the antennular peduncle bears three distal spines in M. palmatus , instead of two in M. acalipha .

— The spines on the Mxp 3 are more developed in M. palmatus than in M. acalipha .

— The P1 merus bears mesial spines in M. palmatus , being unarmed in M. acalipha .

Distribution. Only known from Makassar Strait ( Indonesia), at 338 m.