identifier	taxonID	type	CVterm	format	language	title	description	additionalInformationURL	UsageTerms	rights	Owner	contributor	creator	bibliographicCitation
EC1DD158FFA78534FF6AFC89FEFCFAFD.text	EC1DD158FFA78534FF6AFC89FEFCFAFD.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text	http://rs.tdwg.org/ontology/voc/SPMInfoItems#GeneralDescription	text/html	en	Pilarta Bahir & Yeo 2007	<div><p>Genus Pilarta Bahir &amp; Yeo, 2007</p><p>Type species. Pilarta anuka Bahir &amp; Yeo, 2007, by original designation; gender feminine.</p><p>Remarks. Bahir &amp; Yeo (2007: 332, fig. 25C) described the anterior male thoracic sternum as follows: “Suture between male thoracic sternites 2–3 and 3–4 indiscernible …”, figuring sternites 1–4 as completely fused without any trace of sutures. This was repeated in the subsequent generic diagnosis by Pati et al. (2017: 14) who noted that “sutures between male thoracic sternites s2/s3 and s3/s4 indiscernible as grooves.” The figures of the male anterior thoracic sternums of their two new species show a small triangular structure that is the fused sternites 1 and 2, separated from the fused sternites 3 and 4 by a ridge or groove (Pati et al. 2017: figs. 7g, 9g). The holotype male of P. anuka was re-examined for the present study and the sternite morphology requires further clarification. Sternites 1 and 2 are completely fused to form a triangular structure. Moreover, there is a low rounded ridge that separates these fused sternites from fused sternites 3 and 4. This low ridge is the demarcation between sternites 2 and 3 (Fig. 4A) and this was not accurately figured by Bahir &amp; Yeo (2007: fig. 25C). This is the same condition for P. vaman sp. nov. (Fig. 3D).</p></div>	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/EC1DD158FFA78534FF6AFC89FEFCFAFD	Public Domain	No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.		MagnoliaPress via Plazi	Raj, Smrithy;Kumar, Appukuttannair Biju;Ng, Peter K. L.	Raj, Smrithy, Kumar, Appukuttannair Biju, Ng, Peter K. L. (2025): Description of a new species of Pilarta Bahir & Yeo, 2007 (Crustacea: Brachyura: Gecarcinucidae) from the Southern Western Ghats, Kerala, India. Zootaxa 5642 (5): 476-484, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5642.5.4, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5642.5.4
EC1DD158FFA78531FF6AFA49FB89FC61.text	EC1DD158FFA78531FF6AFA49FB89FC61.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text	http://rs.tdwg.org/ontology/voc/SPMInfoItems#GeneralDescription	text/html	en	Pilarta vaman Raj & Kumar & Ng 2025	<div><p>Pilarta vaman sp. nov.</p><p>(Figures 2, 3, 4E–L)</p><p>Material examined. Holotype: male (8.6 × 6.8 mm) (DABFUK /AR-BR-2025-5), <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=77.15412&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=9.389014" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long 77.15412/lat 9.389014)">Gavi</a>, Pathanamthitta district, Kerala, India, 09º23’20.4504”N 77º09’14.8392”E, 1050 m asl, coll. S. Raj, 17 September 2017 . Paratype: 1 female (9.1 × 7.6 mm) (DABFUK /AR-BR-2025-6), same data as holotype .</p><p>Comparative material. Pilarta anuka Bahir &amp; Yeo, 2007: holotype male (14.5 × 10.7 mm) (ZRC 2003.0238), <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=77.11047&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=8.768722" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long 77.11047/lat 8.768722)">Ponmudi</a>, Kerala, India, 08º46’07.4”N 77º06’37.7”E, 975 m asl, [coll. M. Bahir, 2000s].</p><p>Diagnosis. Carapace not deep, relatively narrow, quadrate, dorsal surface convex in frontal view; postorbital and epigastric cristae undiscernible (Fig. 2A, B, D); frontal region punctate (Fig. 2D); dorsal surface weakly punctate; lateral regions of carapace rugose (Fig. 2A, B); epistomal median lobe without acute median tooth (Fig. 2D); epibranchial tooth minute, blunt, cleft visible (Fig. 2A, B); cervical groove and H shaped groove not visible (Fig. 2A, B). Third maxilliped exopod without flagellum (Fig. 2C). Sutures between male thoracic sternites 2 and 3 visible as low rounded ridge (Fig. 2E, 3D). Male pleon T-shaped, pleonal somite 6 trapezoidal, broader than long, lateral margins gently concave (Fig. 3C). Male chela and fingers relatively short; inner angle of the carpus of cheliped low, subtruncate (Figs. 2A, 3A). Dactyli, propodi, carpi of ambulatory legs covered with dense setae; P2–P5 relatively short (Fig. 3E). G1 relatively longer, stout, just reaching to level of tubercle of press-button of pleonal locking mechanism; terminal and subterminal article clearly demarcated, terminal article ca. 0.3 times length of subterminal article, tip slightly curved outwards; subterminal article gradually tapering distally, distal third relatively broad, outer margin gently sinuous to almost straight (Fig. 4E, F, H–K); G2 slightly longer than G1 (Fig. 4G, L).</p><p>Description of male holotype. Carapace more or less quadrate, 1.26 times wider than long; high in frontal view, not deep, dorsal surface convex in frontal view (Fig. 2A, B, D); dorsal surface of carapace smooth but weakly punctate; frontal region longitudinally broader, punctate, frontal median triangle small (Fig. 2A, B, D); lateral parts of anterolateral, branchial and posterolateral regions with distinct striae (Fig. 2A, B); mesogastric, urogastric, cardiac, intestinal region smooth; orbital region punctate, suborbital region smooth, glabrous; pterygostomial region punctate, glabrous separated from suborbital region by low ridge; sub-branchial region gently rugose (Fig. 2A, B, D, E). Epigastric cristae and postorbital cristae indistinct; cervical grooves extremely shallow to almost undiscernible; H-shaped groove very shallow (Fig. 2A, B, D). Frontal margin long, almost straight, joining supraorbital margin at slight angle (Fig. 2D). External orbital tooth broadly triangular; outer margin much longer than inner margin, gently convex; inner margins concave, joining supraorbital margin; epibranchial tooth minute, blunt, almost completely fused with rest of anterolateral margin (Fig. 2B, D). Anterolateral margin gently convex, with low, just visible submedian epibranchial tooth, demarcated by small notch; posterolateral margin concave medially, converging towards medially gently concave posterior carapace margin (Fig. 2A, B). Orbits subovate; eye filling up most of orbital space, peduncle short, stout; cornea large, pigmented (Fig. 2A, B, D). Supraorbital margin almost straight, entire; suborbital margin concave, complete (Fig. 2D). Antennae distinctly short, not reaching cornea of eyes. Posterior margin of epistome with distinct median lobe (Fig. 2D). Mandibular palp with 2 articles; terminal article distinctly bilobed.</p><p>Third maxillipeds covering most of buccal cavity when closed; ischium subrectangular, surface punctate, with distinct sulcus; merus sub-rectangular, punctate, anteroexternal angle convex; exopod relatively stouter, reaching proximal third of merus; exopod lacking flagellum (Fig. 2C).</p><p>Outer surface of carpus distinctly rugose, with numerous short stiff setae; inner angle with low subtruncate lobe (Fig. 2A). Outer surface of chela punctate, fingers of chela short, stout, gently curved, shorter than palm, cutting edge of finger with large blunt teeth (Fig. 3A).</p><p>Ambulatory legs short, stout, second pair longest, last pair shortest (Fig. 2A). Surfaces of coxa and basisischium with scattered short, stiff setae; surface of merus with scattered short setae, denser on dorsal distal margin, ventral surface with numerous short setae; surfaces of carpus, propodus and dactylus with dense fine, short setae (Fig. 3E).</p><p>Thoracic sternum broader transversely, surface punctate. Sternites 1, 2 completely fused to form broadly triangular plate; separated from sternite 3 by a low rounded ridge (Fig. 2E, 3D, 4A); sternites 3, 4 completely fused with no prominent sutures. Sutures between sternites 4/5, 5/6, 6/7 medially interrupted; sutures between sternites 7/8 complete (Fig. 2E, 3D). Male pleonal-locking tubercle low, round, positioned on submedian part of sternite 5 (Fig. 3B).</p><p>Pleon T-shaped, all somites (including telson) free, telson as long as broad, apex rounded, surface gently punctate to almost smooth, lateral margins gently concave; pleonal somite 6 trapezoidal, broader than long, lateral margins gently concave; pleonal somites 3–5 much wider than long, gradually decreasing in width; pleonal somites 1 and 2 subrectangular, conspicuously wide, reaching to bases of coxae of fourth ambulatory legs (Figs. 2E, 3B, C).</p><p>G1 relatively long, stout, just reaching to level of tubercle of press-button of pleonal locking mechanism; terminal, and subterminal articles clearly demarcated by distinct membranous suture; subterminal article relatively broader basally, gradually tapering distally, distal third relatively broad, outer margin gently sinuous to almost straight, inner margin gently convex; terminal article elongate, gradually tapering to acute tip that curves slightly outwards, ca. 0.3 times length of subterminal article (Fig. 4E–F, H–K). G2 slightly longer than G1; basal article long, distal article slender, almost half length of basal article (Fig. 4G, L).</p><p>Female. Adult paratype female specimen (9.1 × 7.6 mm) (DABFUK/AR-BR-2025-6) resembles holotype in most non-sexual characters, except having relatively smaller and more slender chelae. Pleon is ovate, with all somites and telson free, covering most of thoracic sternum, except lateral edges (Fig. 3F). Vulvae on sternite 6 large, obliquely ovate and positioned adjacent to sternite 5, touching suture between sternites 5 and 6, membranous opening without any sternal vulvar cover (Fig. 3G).</p><p>Colour. Unknown.</p><p>Etymology. The species name is named after ‘Vaman’, one of the avtars of Vishnu in Hindu mythology. Vaman is known for his small stature but power, and the name alludes to the small size of the present species. The name is used as a noun in apposition.</p><p>Remarks. The carapace of Pilarta vaman sp. nov. is more quadrate, being proportionately less wide (Fig. 2A, B) (versus more rectangular in shape, proportionately wider in P. anuka; Bahir &amp; Yeo 2007: fig. 26A); the regions behind the frontal and orbital margins are gently convex and punctate but otherwise almost smooth (Fig. 2A, B) (versus these regions gently depressed and strongly rugose in P. anuka; Bahir &amp; Yeo 2007: figs. 25A, 26A); the cervical groove is extremely shallow and almost undiscernible (Fig. 2A, B) (versus relatively deep and distinct in P. anuka; Bahir &amp; Yeo 2007: figs. 25A, 26A); the epibranchial tooth is low, almost completely fused with rest of the anterolateral margin (Fig. 2A, B) (versus low but visible in P. anuka; Bahir &amp; Yeo, 2007: fig. 26A); the postorbital cristae are not discernible (Fig. 2A, B) (versus postorbital cristae discernible and low but rugose in P. anuka; Bahir &amp; Yeo 2007: fig. 26A, B); the chela and fingers are relatively short (Fig. 3A) (versus chela and fingers distinctly longer in P. anuka; Bahir &amp; Yeo 2007: fig. 26A, B); the inner angle of the carpus of the cheliped has a low, subtruncate lobe (Fig. 2A) (versus the inner angle armed with a prominent sharp tooth with sub-basal tubercles in P. anuka; Bahir &amp; Yeo 2007: fig. 26A); the P2–P5 merus is proportionately shorter (P5 merus length to width ratio 2.7) (Figs. 2A, E, 3E) (versus merus relatively longer in P. anuka, with P5 merus length to width ratio 3.2; Bahir &amp; Yeo 2007: figs. 25E, 26A); and the overall proportions of the G1, with the terminal article slightly longer (ca. 0.3 times length of subterminal article), the distal third of the subterminal article is distinctly broader with the outer margin almost straight to gently sinuous (Fig. 4E, F, H, I) (versus G1 terminal article relatively shorter, being ca. 0.2 times length of subterminal article, with the distal third of the subterminal article more tapering and there is concavity on the proximal outer margin of the subterminal article which is distinctly convex in P. anuka; Fig. 3B, C; Bahir &amp; Yeo 2007: fig. 25F, G).</p><p>Pilarta vaman sp. nov. can be distinguished from P. aroma by the same carapace and chela characters as P. anuka above (cf. Pati et al. 2017: fig. 7a, b, d). In addition, it can be distinguished by its low subtruncate inner angle of the carpus of cheliped (Fig. 2A) (versus with low tooth in P. aroma; Pati et al. 2017: fig. 7e); and the proximal part of the G1 subterminal article is less wide (Fig. 4E, F, H, I) (versus proximal part of G1 subterminal article very broad in P. aroma; Pati et al. 2017: fig. 8a–c). Pilarta punctatissima is similar to P. vaman sp. nov. in the subtruncate and low angle of the carpus of the cheliped and possession of relatively longer P5 (merus length to width ratios 3.8 versus 2.7), but P. vaman sp. nov. can be distinguished in having the carapace and surfaces of the chela weakly punctate (Figs. 2, 3A) (versus strongly punctate in P. punctatissima; Pati et al. 2017: fig. 9); the male pleonal somite 6 has the lateral margins gently concave (Fig. 3C) (versus margins distinctly concave in P. punctatissima; Pati et al. 2017: fig. 9h); and the overall G1 is more elongate (Fig. 4E, F, H–K) (versus G1 is relatively shorter and stouter in P. punctatissima; Pati et al. 2017: fig. 10a–c).</p><p>The type locality of the P. vaman sp. nov., Gavi, is some 75 km north of Ponmudi, which is the type locality of P. anuka . The type locality of P. aroma (Pongalappara, Agasthyamala, Thiruvananthapuram district) is relatively near that of P. anuka, being less than 20 km southeast of Ponmudi. Pilarta punctatissima is found much further north in Ovumkal, in the Thattekkad Bird Sanctuary (Ernakulam district), a site 160 km north of Ponmudi where P. anuka, occurs; with P. vaman sp. nov. occurring in a different mountain range in between these two locations at Gavi.</p><p>Ecology. The crabs of the new species were collected from a small mountain stream near grassland and under leaf litter in Gavi, Pathanamthitta, Kerala, India. No other crab species were found near this site. The crabs appear to be rare, as only two individuals were found. The type locality is a well-known tourist destination and falls within a forest protected area. The crabs face significant anthropogenic threats, such as habitat destruction and pollution, despite the protected status of their habitat.</p><p>Distribution. The species is known only from Gavi (09º23’20.4504”N 77º09’14.8392”E), a tourist village in the southern Western Ghats, Pathanamthitta district, Kerala state, India (Fig. 1).</p></div>	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/EC1DD158FFA78531FF6AFA49FB89FC61	Public Domain	No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.		MagnoliaPress via Plazi	Raj, Smrithy;Kumar, Appukuttannair Biju;Ng, Peter K. L.	Raj, Smrithy, Kumar, Appukuttannair Biju, Ng, Peter K. L. (2025): Description of a new species of Pilarta Bahir & Yeo, 2007 (Crustacea: Brachyura: Gecarcinucidae) from the Southern Western Ghats, Kerala, India. Zootaxa 5642 (5): 476-484, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5642.5.4, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5642.5.4
