Lepidothelphusa loi, Grinang & Ng, 2015

Grinang, Jongkar & Ng, Peter K. L., 2015, Taxonomy of the semiterrestrial crab Lepidothelphusa cognettii (Nobili, 1903) (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura: Gecarcinucidae), with descriptions of five new species from Sarawak, Malaysia, Borneo, Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 63, pp. 564-582 : 572

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.5281/zenodo.5386711
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:BAA493D3-8195-417B-ABD8-A36D3FD90533
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5467452
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/06A0A263-62C8-4A1D-AA3A-9F4FFACF5271
taxon LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:act:06A0A263-62C8-4A1D-AA3A-9F4FFACF5271
treatment provided by	Valdenar
scientific name	Lepidothelphusa loi
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Lepidothelphusa loi View in CoL , new species

( Figs. 7A–I View Fig , 8A–E View Fig , 14A, B View Fig )

Material examined. Holotype: male (10.3 × 9.6 mm) ( ZRC 2015.0607 View Materials ), Gunung Ampungan, Sadong River Basin, Serian, Sarawak, coll. J Grinang et al., 8 February 2015 . Paratypes: 2 females (larger 9.8 × 9.2 mm), 2 ovigerous females (larger 10.3 × 9.8 mm) (SBC.C.00435–39), data same as holotype ; 14 males (largest 11.3 × 10.6 mm, 10.5 × 9.6 mm, 11.8 × 10.9 mm), 8 females (largest 11.2 × 9.8 mm) ( ZRC 2015.0292 View Materials ), on sides of small stream, mudstone and rocks substrate, densely forest covered slope of hill Gunung Ampungan, Sadong River Basin, Serian, Sarawak, coll. PKL Ng, J Grinang & PYC Ng, 18 and 20 June 2015 .

Diagnosis. Carapace quadrate, surface relatively flat, smooth, anterolateral margins smooth; antero- and posterolateral regions rugose; epibranchial tooth undiscernible; external orbital tooth with outer margin concave, smooth; serrated projection on frontal region distinct; epigastric and postorbital cristae distinct, high, margins serrated; cervical and H-grooves relatively deep, not confluent ( Fig. 7A, B, D View Fig ); ischium of third maxilliped rhomboidal, much longer than broad, with incomplete median sulcus ( Fig. 7F View Fig ); inner margin of merus of chelipeds with relatively lower serrated projection ( Fig. 7G View Fig ); carpus of chelipeds rugose, inner angle with broad, low triangular tooth ( Fig. 7A View Fig ); fingers of adult major male chela narrowly gaping ( Fig. 7H, I View Fig ); ambulatory legs short, merus of fourth ambulatory legs about half of length of carapace ( Fig. 7A, E View Fig ); male abdomen triangular, somite 6 width and length subequal, subequal to length of telson ( Fig. 7C View Fig ); G1 stout, sinuous in ventral view, straight in dorsal view; terminal segment straight in dorsal view, gently curving outwards in ventral view ( Fig. 8A, B, D, E View Fig ); G2 with long distal segment, about three-quarters length of basal segment ( Fig. 8C View Fig ).

Colour. In life, males are yellowish-red carapace, reddishbrown ambulatory legs and yellowish chelipeds. Females are light brown overall ( Fig. 14A, B View Fig ).

Etymology. The name is after Michael Lo in recognition of his kind help in helping us search for these interesting animals.

Remarks. Lepidothelphusa loi , new species, can be easily distinguished from L. cognettii s. str., L. flavochela , new species, L. limau , new species, and L. padawan , new species, in having relatively shorter ambulatory legs ( Fig. 7A, E View Fig versus Figs. 1A, E View Fig , 3A, E View Fig , 5A, E View Fig , 9A, E View Fig , 11A, E View Fig ). The distal segment of the G2 of L. loi is relatively longer than congeners ( Fig. 8C View Fig versus Figs. 2C View Fig , 4C View Fig , 6C View Fig , 10C View Fig , 12C View Fig ). See also discussion for L. flavochela and L. limau .

Habitat. The habitat is a gentle slope, with the substrate composed of moist mud and sand, with leaf litter. The site is shaded, has a spring, and is part of a disturbed dipterocarp forest. The base substrate is sandstone, and the site is more than 500 m above sea level.