Galacantha valdiviae Balss, 1913

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 : 29-30

Galacantha valdiviae Balss, 1913

( Figs. 15, 16)

Galacantha valdiviae Balss, 1913: 224 .

Munidopsis valdiviae .— Doflein & Balss, 1913: 147, fig. 15, pl. 16: fig. 2.— Baba, 1982: 112, pl. 1: fig. 1; 1988: 173, fig. 71; 1994: 19.— Tirmizi & Javed, 1993: 16, fig. 7.— Baba, 2005: 298.

Material examined. Madagascar (A. Crosnier collection), Stn CH 126, 1475– 1530 m: 5 M 12.2–15.3 mm, 2 ovig. F 14.6–18.1 mm, 2 F 14.0– 16.6 mm (MNHN-Ga1431).—Stn CH 131, 1490– 1640 m: 6 M 9.0– 14.5 mm, 3 ovig. F 15.0– 19.5 mm (MNHN-Ga1432).—Stn CH 133, 1000–1525 m: 1 M 19.0 mm, 1 F 19.5 mm (MNHN-Ga1433). Solomon Islands, SOLOMON 2, Stn 2253, 1200–1218 m: 1 M 18.3 mm (MNHN- Ga5499).

Diagnosis. Carapace covered with small setigerous granules, short setigerous scales on branchial regions; armed with 2 epigastric spines, 1 strong laterally compressed mesogastric, and 1 moderately large cardiac spine. Lateral margins slightly convex, smooth, with 1 strong first (anterolateral) spine; 1 well-developed spine at midlength. Rostrum with 2 small spines at end of horizontal portion, discernible in dorsal view; rostral spine smaller than mesogastric spine, upturned distally, forming angle of nearly 60 º with horizontal portion. Abdomen smooth with numerous short and uniramous setae; abdominal tergites 2–4 with 2 low transverse ridges, posterior ridge on somite 4 nearly absent, each anterior ridge with prominent median spine, spine on tergite 4 clearly smaller than preceding spines; each transverse groove between ridges interrupted medially. Pleura of tergites smooth; tergite 5 smooth; tergite 6 having slightly convex posterior margin, not overreaching posterolateral lobes. Telson divided into 10 plates. Eye movable and spineless, corneae subglobular. P1 covered with granules, 1.5 times carapace length; merus with a few distal spines, carpus as long as palm, 1.3–1.4 times longer than wide, with a few distal spines; palm slightly longer than wide, fingers 1.3–1.4 times longer than palm. P2–P4 long, slender, with numerous granules, subcylindrical. P2 overreaching P1 and nearly twice carapace length; merus about 3 times length of carpus, 1.2–1.4 times length of propodus and 5.5– 6.5 times longer than high, slightly longer than that of P3 and 1.3 times that of P4, overreaching rostrum, having distal spine each on dorsal and ventral margin; carpus having dorsolateral granulated crest, with distal spine on dorsal margin; propodus 7.5–8.5 times longer than high, 1.5–2.0 times dactylus length, ventral margin unarmed; dactylus compressed laterally, flexor border moderately curving, bearing proximally diminishing low teeth.

Remarks. This species is characterized by the carapace covered with small setigerous granules, and short setigerous scales on branchial regions, the rostrum with two small spines at the end of the horizontal portion, discernible in dorsal view, with only one strong first (anterolateral) spine on the carapace and one well-developed spine at midlength of the lateral margin. The species resembles G. quiquei n. sp. (see above).

Distribution. Previously known from the East African coast (type locality), Mozambique Channel, Kumanonada off Kii Peninsula, Japan, Moluccas off northwest Sulawesi, the Palawan Passage, and off Central Queensland, between 1040 and 1600 m. The present material was collected in Madagascar, at 1000–1640 m and Solomon Islands, at 1200–1218 m.