Ryphila, Galil, 2009

Galil, Bella S., 2009, An examination of the genus Philyra Leach, 1817 (Crustacea, Decapoda, Leucosiidae) with descriptions of seven new genera and six new species, Zoosystema 31 (2), pp. 279-320 : 309-310

Genus Ryphila n. gen.

TYPE SPECIES. — Cancer cancellus Herbst, 1783 .

ETYMOLOGY. — Ryphila is an anagram of Philyra Leach, 1817 . Gender feminine.

DIAGNOSIS. — Carapace discoidal, regions of carapace indistinct. Dorsal surface of carapace punctate, variably granulate. Frontal region slightly produced, medially grooved; frontal margin medially denticulate. Antennular fossa sealed by basal antennular segment. Antennae short, inserted between antennular fossa and orbit.Orbits small, rounded, upper orbital margin unisutured.Eyes retractable. Epistome continuous with expanded, crenulate subhepatic margin, projecting beyond frontal margin. Anterior margin of efferent branchial channel forms part of lower orbital margin, extending beyond frontal margin, epistome lingulate. External maxilliped exopod reniform, not quite reaching anterior margin; endopods ogive,bearing in female setose fringe lengthwise; endopodal merus shorter than ischium along inner margin, apex invisible in dorsal view. Lateral and posterior margins of carapace beaded. Hepatic facet distinct. Epimeral margin closely beaded, invisible in dorsal view, row of granules continuing on posterior surface. Chelipeds subequal, elongate, longer in adult male than in female specimens.Cheliped merus subcylindrical, bearing rows of perliform tubercles on upper and inner surfaces. Fingers as long as propodus. Pereiopods slender, short. Pereiopodal meri subcylindrical, longer than carpi and propodi; upper and lower propodal margins carinate; dactyli longer than propodi, lanceolate, terminating in cornute tips. Male abdominal sulcus deep, nearly reaching buccal cavity. Male first and second abdominal segments transverse, narrow, swollen laterally, third to sixth segments fused, suture lines indistinct, lateral margin bearing three indistinct ridges fitting into sutures between sternal segments; medially dented proximally, lacking subterminal denticle; telson elongate, laciniate. Female abdomen with first two segments transversely narrow, segments three to six fused, greatly enlarged, shield-like, telson discoidal. First male pleopod elongate, shaft wide, dorsoventrally flattened, tip setose; apical process filiform, elongate. Second male pleopod short, slender, apex scoop-like.

REMARKS

Ryphila n. gen. differs from Philyra Leach, 1817 (emendato) and the other genera discussed above, in having the epistome and the lower margin of the hepatic facet projecting beyond the front;the reniform external maxilliped exopod and the squat endopodal merus; the narrow, laterally swollen first and second abdominal segments of the male; and the elongate, filiform apical process of the first male pleopod.