Galathea maculiabdominalis Baba, 1972

(Fig. 118 A)

Galathea maculiabdominalis Baba, 1972: 86, fig. 1 (Ishigaki Island, Yaeyama Islands, Ryukyu Islands, 10 m).— Baba, 1982: 60 (Palau, subtidal).—Baba et al., 2008: 72 (compilation).— Poore et al., 2011: 333, pl. 11A (color photo, Vanuatu).

Material examined. Vanuatu. SANTO, Stn DB61, 15°32.3'S, 167°16.9'E, 41 m, 25 September 2006: 1 M 2.4 mm (MNHN-IU-2013-8344).

New Caledonia. Lifou Island. LIFOU, Stn 1460, 20°52.4’S, 167°08.0’E, 40–60 m, 6 November 2000: 2 M 1.7–2.6 mm, 3 ov. F 2.1–2.3 mm (MNHN-IU-2013-8346).—Stn 1463, 20°55.05’S, 167°03.35’S, 20–30 m, 10 November 2000: 3 M 2.2–2.5 mm, 1 ov. F 3.0 mm (MNHN-IU-2013-8347).—Stn 1474, 20°54.8’S, 167°16.1’E, 0–3 m, 11 November 2000: 3 M 1.5–3.0 mm, 2 ov. F 2.0– 2.3 mm (MNHN-IU-2013-8343).—Stn 1464, 20°54.5’S, 167°05.9’E, 35–50 m, 14 November 2000, 2 M 2.5–3.6 mm, 2 F 2.3–2.4 mm (MNHN-IU-2013-83489.—Stn 1446, 20°50.8’S, 167°09.7’E, 36–40 m, 16 November 2000: 1 M 3.1 mm (MNHN-IU-2013-8345).—Stn 1465, 20°47.7’S, 167°07.0’E, 35–45 m, 16 November 2000: 2 M 1.8–3.1 mm, 1 ov. F 2.6 mm (MNHN-IU-2013-8351), 1 M 2.6 mm (MNHN-IU-2013-8352), 1 M 2.5 mm (MNHN-IU-2013-8353).—Stn 1466, 20°46.5’S, 167°06.2’E, 25–45 m, 17 November 2000: 2 M 3.3–3.4 mm (MNHN-IU-2013-8349).—Stn 1468, 20°46.5’S, 167°05.7’E, 30–80 m, 20 November 2000: 1 ov. F 2.6 mm (MNHN-IU-2013-8350).

Fiji. SUVA 4, Stn DW12, 18°21.4'S, 178°09.6'E, 39 m, 24 September 1999: 1 M 3.3 mm (MNHN-IU-2013- 8408).

Philippines. Panglao Island. Alona Reef, PANGLAO, Stn B2, 9°33.00’N, 123°46.5’E, 5 m, 31 may 2004: 1 F 2.0 mm (NTOU).—Stn B5, 9°35.2’N, 123°50.4’E, 4 m, 2 June 2004: 1 F 2.5 mm (NTOU).

Remarks. The material examined agrees with the original description by Baba (1972). The genetic divergences with other closely related species are always larger than 16.1% (COI, the closest is G. mauritiana), and 5.8% (16S rRNA, the closest is G. aegyptiaca) (Tab. 1). Galathea maculiabdominalis is morphologically closest to G. formosa De Man, 1902 but the two can be easily distinguished for one another by the following characters:

- The rostrum is longer than broad in G. maculiabdominalis instead of broader than long in G. formosa . - The anterior protogastric ridge is uninterrupted and reaches or nearly reaches the carapace lateral margins in G. maculiabdominalis, whereas this ridge is interrupted and does not reache the carapace lateral margins in G. formosa .

- The color patterns are very different. G. f o r m o s a has a whitish broad longitudinal stripe on the carapace (De Man 1902; Baba 1977c), that is absent in G. maculiabdominalis (Baba 1972; Poore et al. 2011).

G. maculiabdominalis is also close to G. machordomae n. sp. (see Remarks of the latter species).

Distribution. Japan (Ryukyus), Palau Islands, Philippines, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, and Fiji; 0– 80 m.