Galacantha spinosa A. Milne-Edwards, 1880

Published, First, 2007, Species of the genus Munidopsis Whiteaves, 1784 from the Indian and Pacific Oceans and reestablishment of the genus Galacantha A. Milne-Edwards, 1880 (Crustacea, Decapoda, Galatheidae), Zootaxa 1417, pp. 1-135 : 19-20

Galacantha spinosa A. Milne-Edwards, 1880

( Fig. 8)

Galacantha spinosa A. Milne-Edwards, 1880: 53 .—A. Milne-Edwards & Bouvier, 1897: 56, pl. 4: figs. 14–21. Munidopsis spinosa .— Chace, 1942: 76.— Takeda, 1983: 96, with fig.— Baba, 2005: 296.

Not Munidopsis spinosa .— Miyake, 1982: 144, pl. 48, fig. 4.— Baba, 1988: 168, figs. 67, 68 (= G. subspinosa n. sp.).

Material examined. Caribbean Sea , off Colombia, PILSBURY, Stn 1224, 878– 906 m: 1 M 27.2 mm, 1 F 28.7 mm ( RMNH) .

Diagnosis. Carapace covered with tubercles, those on posterior half forming rows; dorsally armed with 2 well-developed epigastric, one extremely strong laterally compressed mesogastric, and one moderately large cardiac spine; posterior margin of mesogastric spine convex. Lateral margins subparallel, with 2 prominent anterior spines directed forward, and lobe-like process at midlength, first spine (anterolateral) clearly more than 3 times larger than second spine (hepatic). Rostrum overreaching third antennal segment, spiniform, without additional spines, upturned and without horizontal portion. Abdominal tergites 2–4 with 2 moderately elevated transverse ridges; ridges and pleura covered with acute tubercular processes, each anterior ridge with prominent median spine, spine on tergite 4 clearly smaller than preceding spines; transverse grooves between ridges not interrupted mediall; tergites 5–6 with numerous acute tubercles, anterior border of tergite 5 slightly elevated and tuberculated. P1 covered with granules, about 1.4 (female) and 1.6 (male) times carapace length, nearly spineless; merus and carpus each with a few terminal spines, carpus as long as palm, 1.3–1.5 times longer than wide, with a few terminal spines; palm as long as wide, fingers 1.4–1.6 times longer than palm, distally spooned, prehensile edges crenulate. P2–P4 long, slender, with numerous granules, subcylindrical. P2 overreaching P1, about twice carapace length; merus 3.0–3.5 times length of carpus, 1.2 times length of propodus and about 6 times longer than high, slightly longer than that of P3 and 1.2 times that of P4, clearly overreaching rostrum, having distal spine on dorsal margin; carpus with dorsolateral granulated crest; propodus 8– 9 times longer than high, about 1.5 times dactylus length, ventral margin unarmed; dactylus compressed laterally, flexor border moderately curving, bearing proximally diminishing low teeth..

Colour (from Takeda 1983): Gastric and anterobranchial regions, and gastro-cardiac furrow whitish; rostrum, border of gastric region, cardiac and branchial regions red; lateral, large mesogastric and cardiac spines of carapace red; abdomen whitish, with transverse ridges and median spines reddish; P1 with carpus and mesial part of palm whitish, lateral part of palm and fingers red; P2–P4 whitish, flexor margin of articles red.

Remarks. The species is easily differentiated from the other species of the genus by the shape and armature of the rostrum: short, spiniform, without lateral spines, upturned and without horizontal portion. The closest species is G. subspinosa n. sp. (see below for the differences between species).

Distribution. Caribbean Sea (type locality, Dominica, 600 m), off Suriname and French Guiana, 520– 1007 m.