Laubierinia, Forges, Bertrand Richer De & Ng, Peter K. L., 2009

Forges, Bertrand Richer De & Ng, Peter K. L., 2009, New genera, new species and new records of Indo-West Pacific spider crabs (Crustacea: Brachyura: Epialtidae: Majoidea), Zootaxa 2025, pp. 1-20 : 14

Laubierinia n. gen.

Diagnosis. Carapace rounded. Rostrum bifid with 2 short, divergent, flat, sharp spines. Carapace, legs covered by thick tomentum, masking swellings. Carapace with several strong elevated swellings, sometimes flattened on top; hepatic region particularly elevated. Diagnostic flat plate present on lateral carapace border of branchial region, forming a groove with the rest of carapace. Cheliped shorter than P2.

Etymology. The genus is in memory of the late Dr. Lucien Laubier, a famous French marine zoologist. He will be remembered, among many other things, as one who promoted the exploration of the deep-sea by trawling and submersibles. The gender of the genus is feminine. Type species Rochinia carinata Griffin & Tranter, 1986 , by present designation.

Remarks. Laubierinia n. gen. is closest to Rochinia , but differs in having a rounded carapace (pyriform in Rochinia ) only having prominent tubercles on the hepatic and branchial regions (spines on the same regions in Rochinia ) and the rostrum consists of two short and flattened spines (usually long and slender spines in Rochinia ).

Laubierinia n. gen. can be differentiated from Guinotinia n. gen. in that the lateral border bears a flat branchial plate (without any plate in Guinotinia n. gen.), the rostrum spines are cylindrical (short and flattened in Guinotinia n. gen.); the legs have carinated articles (cylindrical in Guinotinia n. gen.); and the propodi and dactyli of P3-P5 are normal (modified into pseudochelae in Guinotinia n. gen.).