New sibling species and new occurrences of squat lobsters (Crustacea, Decapoda) from the western Indian Ocean

Abstract

Numerous specimens of squat lobsters belonging to the families Munididae, Munidopsidae and Eumunididae were collected during several cruises along the eastern coasts of Africa. The study of these specimens revealed the presence of 10 new species (one Eumunida Smith, 1883, eight Munida Leach, 1820 and one Munidopsis Whiteaves, 1874). We describe and illustrate these new species, providing some new data on occurrences and colour patterns for previously described taxa. We have also included molecular data from two mitochondrial markers (16S rRNA and COI) to support the taxonomic status of different species. Some deep-sea species show a clear increase in their geographic range distribution. Finally, a key to known species of the genus Munida from the western and central Indian Ocean is also presented.

A new species of Munida Leach, 1820 (Crustacea: Decapoda: Anomura: Munididae) from seamounts of the Nazca-Desventuradas Marine Park

“…Remarks: The new species belongs to the group of species with 3–4 branchial spines on the carapace and lateral carinae on the 6–7 thoracic sternites. This group includes only species from the Indian Ocean and Western-Central Pacific waters: M. cristulata Macpherson, Rodríguez-Flores & Machordom, 2017 , M. ignea Macpherson, 2006 , M. lenticularis Macpherson & De Saint Laurent, 1991 M. maculata Komai, 2012 , M. muscae Macpherson & De Saint Laurent, 2002 , M. ommata Macpherson, 2004 , M. psylla Macpherson, 1996, M. rufiantennulata Baba, 1969 and M. vicina Komai, 2012 . From this group of species the closest relatives are: M. muscae , from Madagascar, Reunion Island and Mozambique Channel, M. psylla , from Papua-New Guinea, New Caledonia and New Zealand, and M. vicina , from Kurose Bank and Izu Islands (Japan), characterized by an unarmed pleon.…”

“…The protocol described by Macpherson, Rodríguez-Flores & Machordom (2017) was used for DNA extraction: Tissue of one specimen (MNHN-IU-2014-13931) was isolated from the muscle of the fifth pair of pereopods and homogenized overnight with 20 µl proteinase K in 180 µl of buffer ATL (QIAGEN). The extraction was performed using DNeasy Blood and Tissue Kit following manufacturer instructions (QIAGEN).…”

“…Phylladiorhynchus pusillus (Henderson, 1885) and P. integrirostris (Dana, 1852), belonging to the Galatheidae, have been reported for Easter Island, Salas & Gómez Island and the Juan Fernández archipelago, from the subtidal to 80 m depth ( Retamal, 2004 ; Baba et al, 2008 ). Some deep-sea species of Munidopsidae, e.g., Galacantha bellis Henderson, 1885, Munidopsis antonii (Filhol, 1884) have been cited in the Juan Fernández area ( Andrade, 1985 ; Macpherson, 2007 ), along the East Pacific Rise ( Liu, Li & Lin, 2020 ) and southern French Polynesia seamounts ( Macpherson, 2013 ).…”

Supplemental Information 3: Benthic microhabitats of Munida diritas sp. nov. Video taken with an ROV at the seamount SF7 where M. diritas sp. nov. was spotted within the Nazca-Desventuradas Marine Park

“…The new species belongs to the group of species with 3-4 branchial spines on the carapace and lateral carinae on the 6-7 thoracic sternites. This group includes only species from the Indian Ocean and Western-Central Pacific waters: M. cristulata Macpherson, Rodríguez-Flores & Machordom, 2017, M. ignea Macpherson, 2006, M. lenticularis Macpherson & De Saint Laurent, 1991M. maculata Komai, 2012, M. muscae Macpherson & De Saint Laurent, 2002, M. ommata Macpherson, 2004, M. psylla Macpherson, 1996, M. rufiantennulata Baba, 1969and M. vicina Komai, 2012.…”

“…Phylladiorhynchus pusillus (Henderson, 1885) and P. integrirostris (Dana, 1852), belonging to the Galatheidae, have been reported for Easter Island, Salas & Gómez Island and the Juan Fernández archipelago, from the subtidal to 80 m depth (Retamal, 2004;Baba et al, 2008). Some deep-sea species of Munidopsidae, e.g., Galacantha bellis Henderson, 1885, Munidopsis antonii (Filhol, 1884) have been cited in the Juan Fernández area (Andrade, 1985;Macpherson, 2007), along the East Pacific Rise (Liu, Li & Lin, 2020) and southern French Polynesia seamounts (Macpherson, 2013).…”