Abstract |
Four new species of the genera Eumunida Smith, 1883 (E. spinosa n. sp.),
Munida Leach, 1820 (M. aulakodes n. sp., M. devestiva n. sp.) and Torbenia
Baba, 2005 (T. calvata n. sp.) are described and illustrated from specimens
collected during recent cruises carried out off New Caledonia. Eumunida
spinosa n. sp. has two well developed spines on the anterior border of the fourth
thoracic sternite (subgenus Eumunida de Saint-Laurent & Poupin, 1996), the
posterior region of the carapace with complete striae, the carapace with two
pairs of anterolateral spines, no ventral pad on the propodus of the chelipeds,
and two rows of well developed spines on the palm of the cheliped. Munida
aulakodes n. sp. is characterized by the presence of three spines on the branchial
lateral margins of the carapace, spines on the anterior ridge of the second
abdominal somite, and two carinae separated by a furrow, on each lateral part
of the seventh thoracic sternite. Munida devestiva n. sp. has a carapace without
complete transverse ridges, small eyes, with the corneae barely wider than the
eyestalk, and the abdominal segments unarmed. Torbenia calvata n. sp. is easily
diff erentiated from the other species of the genus by the absence of spines on
the anterior ridge of the second abdominal segment, and the small size of the
fi rst anterolateral spine of the carapace. A new occurrence of the rare species
Pseudomunida fragilis Haig, 1979 is also reported. |