On the distribution range of Chaenostoma sinuspersici (Naderloo & Türkay, 2011) (Decapoda: Brachyura: Macrophthalmidae) in Indian waters

Abstract Chaenostoma sinuspersici (Naderloo & Türkay, 2011) (Macrophthalmidae) is recorded for the first time in Indian waters. The species has so far been only reported from the western Indian Ocean and Arabian Sea

First record of Cryptopodia angulata H. Milne Edwards and Lucas, 1841 from Saurashtra coast, Gujarat, India (Decapoda: Brachyura: Parthenopidae)

Cryptopodia angulata is reported for the first time from Saurashtra coast of Gujarat state. One adult female was found in trawl catch near Sutrapada village of Saurashtra coast on January, 2012. Although the species is not common in Indian waters, this species has been reported from the south east coast of India. This is the first report from Saurashtra coast

Range extension of brachyuran crabs of the family Camptandriidae Stimpson, 1858 (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura) in Indian waters

We report the presence of 3 species of brachyuran crabs, Opusia indica (Alcock, 1900), Nasima dotilliformis (Alcock, 1900) and Leptochryseus kuwaitensis (Jones & Clayton, 1983) (family Camptandriidae), for the first time from Indian waters. The species are so far reported from Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, UAE, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. Records of these species in Indian waters extend their distribution range in the northern Indian Ocean

An annotated checklist of hermit crabs (Crustacea, Decapoda, Anomura) of Indian waters with three new records

The annotated checklist of hermit crabs occurring in the Indian waters has been compiled based on published literature and specimens collected by us along the Indian coastline from 2010 to 2016. The checklist records 112 species belonging to 26 genera and five families. The east coast of India, with 81 species is more diverse than the west coast of India (73 species). Maximum species diversity was recorded from coastal areas of Tamil Nadu state (50 species) whereas the least number of species were reported from coastal areas of Maharashtra state (7 species). Distribution of three species belonging to the family Diogenidae namely Areopaguristes perspicax (Nobili, 1906), Clibanarius virescens (Krauss, 1843), and Diogenes lophochir (Morgan, 1989) is for the first time recorded in Indian waters

First record of Pilumnopeus convexus (Maccagno, 1936) (Crustacea, Decapoda, Pilumnidae) from the Indian coast

Pilumnopeus convexus (Maccagno, 1936) (Pilumnidae) is recorded for the first time across the Indian coast. The species has so far been reported from coastal waters of the Red Sea, Pakistan and Persian Gulf. P. convexus can be easily distinguished from closely related species in having transversely hexagonal carapace, acute anterolateral teeth and tip of the male left gonopod curved to form a hook like structure. Possible explanations to the new record are discussed

Ancylocheles peterngi Trivedi & Osawa & Vachhrajani 2017, n. sp.

<i>Ancylocheles peterngi</i> n. sp. <p>(Figs. 1–4)</p> <p> <b>Material examined.</b> Holotype: ovigerous female (CL 3.06 mm, CW 3.01 mm), Shivrajpur, Gujarat State, India, 21°19'55"N, 68°57'02"E, coral reef, 16 October 2016, coll. Jignesh Trivedi, ZL-AR-CR-18. Paratypes: 3 males (CL 3.69–3.96 mm, CW 3.45–3.68 mm), 1 female (CL 2.43 mm, CW 2.20 mm), Shivrajpur, Gujarat State, India, 21°19'55"N, 68°57'02"E, coral reef, 3 January 2016, coll. Barkha Purohit and Jignesh Trivedi, ZL-AR-CR-19. Non types: 3 males (CL 3.82–4.08 mm, CW 3.62–3.88 mm), 6 females (CL 3.07–4.27 mm, CW 2.77–4.17 mm, Shivrajpur, Gujarat State, India, 21°19'55"N, 68°57'02"E, coral reef, 16 October 2016, coll. Jignesh Trivedi, ZL- AR-CR-20.</p> <p> <b>Description.</b> Carapace (Fig. 1 A) approximately as long as broad, pentagonal in general outline, with many transverse striae anteriorly bearing minute setae except on metagastric and cardiac regions; regions moderately defined; protogastric ridge distinct, with row of short setae. Rostrum broad, triangular, anteriorly bent, with subacute apex; anterior margin serrated (denticles decreasing in size towards apex), with row of dense short setae; dorsal surface with shallow median groove extending to protogastric ridge. Orbits moderately deep; inner orbital margin terminating bluntly; supra-orbital margin strongly concave; outer orbital angle produced, terminating in minute spine. Hepatic margins moderately convex, with 4 small spines. Cervical grooves distinctly demarcated. Branchial margins slightly convex; epibrachial margin minutely denticulate; mesobrachial margin nearly straight, with 3 small spines decreasing in size posteriorly.</p> <p>Third thoracic sternite (Fig. 2 E) trilobate; median lobe broad, rounded on anterior margin; lateral lobes produced bluntly, not reaching anterior margin of median lobe. Fourth thoracic sternite with anterior margin moderately concave.</p> <p>Telson (Fig. 1 B) composed of 7 plates; median plate largest, proxiomolateral plates smallest.</p> <p>Ocular peduncles (Fig. 1 A) moderately small, dorsal extension onto cornea weakly produced, hardly visible in dorsal view.</p> <p>Basal article of antennular peduncle (Fig. 1 C) approximately as long as broad; anterior margin minutely dentate, with 1 large tooth mesially and some smaller teeth laterally; ventral surface nearly smooth, with long transverse ridge submedially; mesial margin with slender spine distally.</p> <p>Antennal peduncle (Fig. 1 D) short, slender, nearly smooth; movable (second to fourth) articles excluded from orbit by projection of immovable (first) article pressed to anterior margin of carapace. First article largest, longer than broad; lateral surface slightly concave; anterior margin minutely serrated. Second article short, rounded; anterior margin slightly serrated. Third article subrectangular; anterior margin slightly dentate, with small tubercle distally. Fourth article shortest, rounded.</p> <p>Third maxilliped (Fig. 2 D) moderately slender. Coxa slightly longer than broad; dorsal margin smooth; ventral margin also smooth, with narrow distal projection. Basis articulating with ischium, subtriangular. Ischium suboval, with numerous striae on lateral surface; dorsal margin with narrow, sharply pointed distal projection; ventrodistal margin convex. Merus longer than broad; lateral surface with short transverse striae; dorsal margin smooth, distally rounded; ventral margin with broad, subrectangular lobe. Carpus with undulated striae on lateral surface; dorsal margin smooth; ventral margin with low triangular projection on median part. Propodus slender; dorsal margin nearly straight; ventral margin slightly convex. Dactylus short, subtriangular; dorsal margin straight, smooth. Merus to dactylus with long setae on ventral margins, setae on dactylus reaching anterior margin of coxa.</p> <p>Chelipeds (Fig. 3 A–D) (first pereopods) somewhat unequal in size, but generally similar to each other and between male and female in shape and armature; dorsal surface covered with long and short striae, small pits, and scattered small tubercles, all bearing minute setae. In larger cheliped (Fig. 3 A, C), merus with distinct rounded lobe distally on anterior margin, margin of lobe denticulate, with 4 or 5 small but distinct spines; dorsal surface medially with long striae running parallel to dorso distal margin; ventral surface covered with small pits. Carpus 1.2 times as long as broad; proximal half of dorso-anterior margin with 2 blunt or acute lobes separated by shallow notch, anterior margins of lobes slightly or distinctly denticulate; dorsal surface with 3 longitudinal crests running parallel to each other, continued to dorsodistal margin, and with scattered, moderately long setae, each crest running along anterior and posterior margins and on midline. Chela moderately broad, 1.6 times as long as carpus, 1.8 times longer than broad; dorsal surface of palm with long, oblique striae and with elevated, blunt median crest reaching base of fixed finger at most; scattered, short striae present on median crest; shallow, broad groove running parallel to posterior marginal crest, with short setae; anterior margin thin, minutely crenulate; posterior margin nearly smooth; ventral surface covered with small pits. Small or large hiatus present between fixed finger and dactylus. Fixed finger nearly equal in length to dactylus, with no distinct teeth on cutting edge; dorsal surface with short striae; posterior margin thin, minutely serrated. Dactylus nearly equal in length to palm measured on posterior margin, moderately curved distally, terminating in blunt claw; dorsal surface with short to moderately long striae; cutting edge smooth, with no distinct teeth; ventral surface with small pits in proximal half.</p> <p>Smaller cheliped (Fig. 3 B, D) with scattered striae bearing short setae on dorsal surface. Carpus with 3 longitudinal crests on dorsal surface, weaker than those of larger cheliped. Palm with shallow groove lined with short setae, narrower than that of large cheliped and running parallel to posterior marginal crest. Dactylus and fixed finger without distinct teeth on each cutting edge; ventral surface of cutting edge of dactylus with or without tuft of dense setae.</p> <p>Ambulatory legs (second to fourth pereopods; Fig. 2 A–C) stout, subcylindrical, with scattered setae on margins, setae longer on dorsal margins of carpus and propodus; lateral surfaces with scattered, short striae bearing minute setae. Meri somewhat compressed, elongate subrectangular, decreasing in size posteriorly; dorsal margin slightly crenulate, dorsodistal angle with tuft of long setae on fourth pereopod but naked or with few short setae on second and third pereopods; ventral margin nearly smooth, more convex on second and third pereopods than fourth. Carpi moderately long; dorsal margin with short striae giving undulating appearance, unarmed; ventral margin nearly smooth. Propodi 1.2 times as long as dactyli; dorsal margin slightly crenulate; laterodistal margin subacute or rounded; ventral margin with 3 or 4 (3 on fourth pereopod in holotype) corneous spines, spines increasing in size distally; distoventral margin mesially with additional spine. Dactyli each terminating in curved, sharp claw; dorsal margin smooth; lateral surface with few, moderately long setae near tip of claw; ventral margin with 4 corneous spines increasing in size distally.</p> <p> <b>Variation.</b> The morphology of the larger cheliped varies between the largest male (CL 4.08 mm, CW 3.71 mm) and the smallest female (CL 2.43 mm, CW 2.20 mm) examined. The carpus and palm have more prominent, dorsal grooves in the largest male than in the smallest female. The lobes on the dorso-anterior margin of the carpus are marginally rounded and minutely denticulate in the largest male, instead of acute and prominently denticulate in the smallest female. In males with CL larger than 3.5 mm, one chela is distinctly larger than another, but in females larger than 2.4 mm, both chelae are subequal in size. The morphology of the smaller cheliped also varies between male and female. The hiatus of the fingers of the smaller chela is covered with thick tuft of setae in males, while such tuft was not observed in smaller chela of females.</p> <p> <b>Coloration in life</b> (Fig. 4). Carapace generally light to dark brown; frontal region light cream; mesogastric, protogastric, hepatic, and epibranchial regions with dark brown patches; cardiac region dark orange; cream rounded spot with tuft of cream colored short setae present on either side of epibranchial regions. Antennal peduncle and flagellum cream, with dark brown bands. Third maxilliped cream. Chelipeds light brown, with dark brown spots and patches on dorsal surface; large cream band on articulation between chela and carpus; fingers dark brown, with tips and cutting edges cream; ventral surface of cheliped entirely cream. Ambulatory legs cream, with dark brown bands on median parts of meri, carpi, and propodi; dactyli white in each distal half, with dark brown claw. Abdomen light cream, with scattered dark brown spots.</p> <p> <b>Habitat.</b> Coral reef, under rocks; low intertidal.</p> <p> <b>Distribution.</b> Presently known only from the type locality, Shivrajpur located on the coastal region of the Dev Bhumi Dwarka District (part of Saurashtra), Gujarat, India.</p> <p> <b>Etymology.</b> The new species is named in honor of Dr. Peter K. L. Ng of the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum, National University of Singapore, for his great contribution in taxonomy and biology of various crustaceans including new taxa described from India.</p> <p> <b>Remarks.</b> The present new species is assigned to the genus <i>Ancylocheles</i> based on the following characters: carapace being approximately as long as broad, with regions defined but not strongly areolate; rostrum broadly triangular in dorsal view; antennal peduncle with movable (second to fourth) articles excluded from orbit by projection of immovable (first) article pressed to anterior margin of carapace; and chelipeds being generally unequal in size and not showing pronounced sexual dimorphism in armature as well as in degree of distortion of fingers (Haig 1978; Osawa 2007). Although Haig (1978) mentioned an eastern Atlantic species <i>Porcellana foresti</i> Chace, 1956 appears to be related to <i>A. gravelei,</i> the former species is clearly different from the latter by the trilobate rostrum and chelipeds without any distinct sculptures on the dorsal surface (Chace 1956; also see a note by Osawa & McLaughlin 2010: 118).</p> <p> Although we could not unfortunately examine the holotype of <i>A. gravelei</i> which is deposited in the collection of the Zoological Survey of Indian Museum, Kolkata, the present new species is distinguishable from <i>A. gravelei</i> by several characters. The carapace front is more strongly produced in dorsal view and the supraorbital margin is much more strongly concave in the new species than in <i>A. gravelei</i>. The median lobe of the third thoracic sternite is strongly convex on the anterior margin in <i>A. peterngi</i> <b>n. sp.</b>, whereas it has a rather transverse anterior margin in <i>A. gravelei</i>. The second article of the antennal peduncle is unarmed on the anterior margin in the new species, instead of having a small but distinct spine at the antero distal angle in <i>A. gravelei</i>. The ventral lobe of the merus of the third maxilliped is subrectangular in <i>A. peterngi</i> <b>n. sp.</b>, rather than rounded in <i>A. gravelei</i> (for morphology of <i>A. gravelei</i>, see Sankolli 1963; Haig 1965; Tirmizi <i>et al.</i> 1989; Hiller <i>et al.</i> 2010).</p>Published as part of <i>Trivedi, Jigneshkumar N., Osawa, Masayuki & Vachhrajani, Kauresh D., 2017, A new species of the genus Ancylocheles Haig, 1978 (Crustacea: Decapoda: Anomura: Porcellanidae) from Gujarat, northwestern India, pp. 384-390 in Zootaxa 4299 (3)</i> on pages 385-389, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4299.3.4, <a href="http://zenodo.org/record/836032">http://zenodo.org/record/836032</a&gt

A new pea crab species of the genus Arcotheres Manning, 1993 (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura: Pinnotheridae) from India

Trivedi, Jigneshkumar N., Campos, Ernesto, Vachhrajani, Kauresh D. (2018): A new pea crab species of the genus Arcotheres Manning, 1993 (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura: Pinnotheridae) from India. Zootaxa 4433 (1): 195-200, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4433.1.1

FIGURE 2. Diogenes chhapgari n in A new species of the genus Diogenes Dana, 1851 (Crustacea: Decapoda: Anomura: Diogenidae) from Gujarat, northwestern India

FIGURE 2. Diogenes chhapgari n. sp., holotype, male (SL 3.61 mm, SW 3.70 mm), ZL-AR-AN-09. Left cheliped. A, chela, outer view; B, same, inner view; C, carpus, outer view; D, carpus and merus, lateral view; E, same, mesial view

A new species of Ilyoplax (Decapoda, Brachyura, Dotillidae) from Gujarat, India

A new species, Ilyoplax sayajiraoi, belonging to the family Dotillidae is described from Gujarat state, India. It differs from its closely related species, Ilyoplax stevensi and Ilyoplax frater by differences in shape and proportions of the carapace, shape, and setae arrangement pattern on chela and morphologies of male and female abdomen. The details on the morphological differences are presented in this study

Tritodynamia bengalensis Trivedi & Mitra & Ng 2021, n. sp.

Tritodynamia bengalensis n. sp. (Figs. 1–3) Material examined. Holotype, male (CL 5.0 mm, CW 9.5 mm) (ZSIC 8619 /2), 6 –7 m depth, muddy bottom, off Shankarpur fishing harbor, West Bengal, India, 23 March 2018, from dredge, coll. S. Mitra. Description. Carapace elliptical, transversely elongate (Figs. 1A, 2A), 1.9 times wider than long; dorsal surface slightly convex longitudinally, glabrous, sparsely punctate. Front slightly directed downwards (Fig. 1C), frontal margin cristate, almost straight, 0.4 times of width between external orbital angles; supraorbital margin cristate with slight notch on inner angle; infraorbital margin present only on outer third, composed of row of small granules; suborbital crista lined with small granules; external orbital angle approximately right-angled, directed anteriorly, ventral surface gently swollen (Figs. 1C). Anterolateral margin cristate, lined with small granules, margin slightly convex behind external orbital angle; posterolateral margin cristate, lined with small granules, converging posteriorly; posterolateral region clearly demarcated from dorsal surface by sinuous line of granules; forming facet-like structure; posterior carapace margin wide, slightly convex (Figs. 1A, 2A). Posterior margin of epistome with broad median triangular structure, lateral margins gently concave (Fig. 2B). Eye well developed. Antennules typical for the genus. Antennae short with flagellum as long as width of orbit (Fig. 2A). Third maxillipeds narrow, leaving large median opening when closed; ischium slightly shorter than merus, medially concave, inner margin finely toothed, with numerous long setae; outer margin also toothed medially; merus widening distally, with shallow longitudinal grove along inner margin, inner margin finely toothed, with numerous long setae; carpus widening distally, setose; propodus with foliaceous distoextensor lobe, distally rounded with long setae reaching setae of distal margin of dactylus; dactylus attached with proximoflexer angle of propodus, slightly longer than propodus, elongate-elliptical, reaching far beyond foliaceous lobe of propodus, fringed with long setae on margins (Figs. 1B, 2C). Chelipeds symmetrical, equal in size (Figs. 1A, B); merus with distodorsal margin lined with small granules; carpus rhomboidal, with distodorsal projection, strong external dorsolateral angle having some subconical granules (Fig. 2G); palm with convex outer surface, dorsal surface with row of small granules; 2 grooves on lower margin, both continuing to pollex, both bordered by cristae lined with granules (Fig. 2E), lower most cristae on ventral surface ends in deep concavity on base of pollex (Fig. 2F), upper groove from proximal end of palm, lined with granules throughout; fingers leaving gape when closed; dactylus with 2 median teeth on occlusal margin, distal half with low teeth, pollex with obtuse basal tooth, rest of the margin with low teeth, finger tips corneous, slender, pointed (Fig.1A, 2E). Ambulatory legs (P2–P5) relatively stout (Figs. 1A, B, 2 A–D), setose; P3 longest, P5 shortest. P2 with merus about 3.2 times as long as wide, with row of granules expanding distally on anterodorsal surface, rows of strong granules posterodorsal and posteroventral margins; dactylus tapering distally, covered with long setae (Fig. 3A). P3 combined length of merus to dactylus about 1.7 times CW; ischium with granules on dorsal surface, posterior margin with strong projecting tooth; merus stout, about 2.5 times as long as wide, anterior and posterior surfaces with numerous rounded, conical granules, posterodorsal and posteroventral margins lined with numerous conical granules; carpus expanding distally, anterior margin smooth, posterodorsal and posteroventral margin with granules, dorsal surface with 3 rows of granules; propodus 3.6 times as long as wide; anterior margin with line of granules; dorsal surface with 2 rows of granules, first row running parallel to anterior margin, second row of granules running parallel to posterior margin, row of long setae present on mid line, posterodorsal margin with row of 18 uneven strong dentiform granules, strong teeth present in proximal half; dactylus tapering distally, covered with long setae (Fig. 2B). P4 fringed with numerous long plumose setae; ischium without projecting teeth on posterior margin; merus stout; 2.5 times as long as wide, anterior, posterior surfaces with numerous rounded or subconical granules, mainly on posterodorsal, posteroventral margins, carpus anterior, posterior margin, dorsal, ventral surface smooth; propodus with convex anterior and posterior margins, 2 times as long as wide, without granules; dactylus slender, tapering distally (Fig. 3C). P5 shortest, most slender, fringed with numerous long plumose setae; merus 3.1 times as long as wide, smooth, carpus smooth, longer than propodus, propodus smooth, shorter than dactylus, dactylus slender, tapering distally (Fig. 3D). Thoracic sternum broad (Fig. 1B); sternites 1 and 2 completely fused, forming subtriangular structure, medially depressed, appearing sunken; separated from sternite 3 by prominent deeply concave suture. Sternopleonal cavity deep, reaching to just before suture between sternites 2 and 3 (Fig. 2B). Male pleon obtusely triangular with all somites and telson free; somite 6 broadly trapezoidal with lateral margins slightly convex; telson rounded, inserted into distal margin of somite 6 (Fig. 1D). G1 relatively stout, inner margin with long plumose setae, distal part curved with long tapering chitinous process, mostly obscured by dense setae (Fig. 3E, F). G2 small with blunt tip (Fig. 3G). Distribution. So far known only from the type locality off Shankarpur, West Bengal state, India. Etymology. The new species is named after the state of West Bengal in India, the type locality of the species. Ecology. The holotype was collected by fishing vessels using dredge from a depth of 6–7 m, off Shankarpur fishing harbor located in Midnapore district of West Bengal state, India. The bottom substrate was recorded as muddy. Remarks. Tritodynamia bengalensis n. sp. is most similar to T. bidentata Yang & Tang, 2005 (from Bohai, China), and T. serratipes Anker & Ng, 2014 (from Singapore) in its relatively wide carapace which is about two times as wide as along, possessing a relatively broad P3 merus, and with the P3 length much less than two times the width of the carapace (cf. Yang & Tang 2005; Anker & Ng 2014). Tritodynamia bengalensis n. sp. differs from T. bidentata markedly in having the carapace elliptical in shape (Figs. 1A, 2A) (versus broadly trapezoidal in T. bidentata; cf. Yang & Tang 2005: fig. 1A); the dactylus of the third maxilliped is only slightly longer than the propodus (Fig. 2C) (versus the dactylus of the third maxilliped is prominently longer than the propodus in T. bidentata; cf. Yang & Tang 2005: fig. 1B); the ventral margin of the P3 merus is distinctly serrated with sharp granules (Fig. 3B) (versus ventral margin of the P3 merus more weakly granulated and not appearing serrate; cf. Yang & Tang 2005: fig. 1E); and the G1 distal part possesses a long tapering chitinous process (Fig. 3E, F) (versus distal part divided into two rounded lobes without any elongate chitinous process in T. bidentata; cf. Yang & Tang 2005: fig. 2A). Tritodynamia bengalensis n. sp. appears to be closest to T. serratipes in having a P3 merus which is also prominently serrated along its ventral margin; it can nevertheless be separated by the dactylus of the third maxilliped being relatively shorter, only slightly longer than the propodus (Fig. 2C) (versus the dactylus of the third maxilliped is much longer than the propodus in T. serratipes; cf. Anker & Ng 2014: fig. 1E); there is only one strong and one low tooth at the base of pollex (Fig. 2E) (versus with two strong teeth present in proximal half of pollex in T. serratipes; cf. Anker & Ng 2014: figs. 1F, 3C); the P3 propodus is proportionately longer and is relatively less strongly serrated with small 18 teeth on the ventral margin (Fig. 3B) (versus proportionately shorter and strongly serrated along the ventral margin with 15 large teeth in T. serratipes; cf. Anker & Ng 2014: figs. 1J, K, 3A). Males are not known for T. serratipes. The G1 structure of T. bengalensis is unusual in that it is relatively slender, is not bilobed distally and possesses an elongate distal process which is sharply bent (Fig. 3E, F). All other species of Tritodynamia have G1s which are distinctly stouter, and the distal part is distinctly bilobed and/or rounded, without any elongate processes (cf. Shen 1932: text-fig. 70b, 72c; Chen 1979: fig.1-10, 1-11; Dai et al. 1980: figs. 10E, 11E; Yang & Sun 1996: fig. 1K; Yang & Tang 2005: fig. 2A; Naruse & Ng 2010: fig. 1f).Published as part of Trivedi, Jigneshkumar N., Mitra, Santanu & Ng, Peter K. L., 2021, Tritodynamia bengalensis n. sp., a new species of brachyuran crab from West Bengal state, India (Decapoda: Brachyura: Macrophthalmidae), pp. 325-330 in Zootaxa 4938 (3) on pages 326-329, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4938.3.3, http://zenodo.org/record/456967