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A new species of Gecarcinidae MacLeay, 1838, Johngarthia cocoensis n. sp. from Cocos Island (Costa Rica) is described and illustrated. The new species closely resembles J. malpilensis (Faxon, 1893), from which it can be separated by the inner apical lobes of the third maxilliped meri mostly separated from each other in resting position, palp of third maxilliped merus partly exposed and epistomial carapace tooth completely exposed.

Marine biodiversity of Costa Rica: Crustacea: Infraorder Anomura. The anomuran crabs are among the best known crustacean groups from the Pacific coast. However, this group is poorly known from the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica. In this compilation based on the literature and the collection at the Zoology Museum, Biology School, University of Costa Rica, we report the presence of 114 species of the Infraorder Anomura for Costa Rica, 20 species from the Caribbean, 96 species from the Pacific (two are present on both coasts). Twenty-nine species are new reports for Costa Rica, 15 from the Caribbean coast (74% of the total of species from that coast) and 14 from the Pacific (15% of the total from the Pacific). The range of ten species is extended to Costa Rica, siete from the Caribbean and three from the Pacific. Six species are reported for the first time from Cocos Island, where there are also four endemic species. Rev. Biol. Trop. 54(2): 461-488. Epub 2006 Jun 01.

The sipunculan fauna of Isla del Coco was found to be quite diverse with eleven species reported. Several of the sipunculan species, as well as the echiuran Thalassema steinbecki, have been encountered previously from Pacific Costa Rica. More surprising is the occurrence of several species of sipunculans not previously known from the eastern Pacific region such as Siphonosoma cumanense, Phascolosoma scolops, Aspidosiphon gosnoldi, A. misakiensis, and A. (Paraspidosiphon) laevis. Possible larval sources for those species previously unknown from this region are discussed. The identity of specimens previously identified as Phascolosoma perlucens from Pacific Costa Rica are in question and are referred to as P. sp. The presence of anastomosing longitudinal muscle bands as being characteristic of the genus Siphonosoma is discussed.

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