Batea floreshiguerai, Ortiz & Capetillo & Lopeztegui, 2025

Batea floreshiguerai sp. nov.

( Figs 2–5 View FIGURE 2 View FIGURE 3 View FIGURE 4 View FIGURE 5 )

Type material. Holotype; ovigerous female; 3.2 mm ( CNCR 37442 ); 1.5 m Deep; soft-bottom, mud sediments of Mangrove swamp. GoogleMaps

Type locality. Restoration Subzone of Puerto Gato a Natural Protected Area   GoogleMaps (- 110.313974 W; 24.250652 N).

Etymology. This new species is named in honor of José de Jesús Flores Higuera, president of the Federación de Cooperativas Pesqueras Zona Centro de Baja California Sur, friend and activist for the conservation and protection of marine biodiversity.

Diagnosis. Head with rostrum and cephalic lobe not pointed; eyes kidney shape. Body devoid of posterodorsal processes. Antenna 1 peduncular article 1 longest, as long as articles 2–3 combined, without ventral process; accessory flagellum vestigial; main flagellum article 3 posterior margin set of callynophores. Antenna 2 peduncular article 4 thicker than 5. Mandibles with 6 incisors; molar triturative with long seta on lateral margin; lacinia mobilis 2- or 4-dentate. Gnathopod 1 rudimentary; basis thickening distally with 6 long and 5 short distal simple setae, anterior marginal with single seta, posterior margin with 11 long. Gnathopod 2 propodus palmar margin oblique; palmar corner defined by 2 strong robust setae; carpus 1.3 times as long as propodus. pereopods 3–5 propodus fisures posterodistal margin. Uropod 3 rami equal in length; inner ramus inner margin with 6 simple setae basally; 8 plumose long setae distally; 8 teeth epimerum 3 posterior margin; telson longer than wide, bilobed, notched half way.

Description. Based on the female holotype (CNCR 37442). Body. Head anteroventrally angular, length as long as pereonites 1–2 combined; eyes kidney-shape; rostrum flexed, length 0.7 times as long as basal article of antenna 1 peduncle; cephalic lobe small, rounded; head anteroventrally angular. Pereonites 2–6 increasing their length towards the back; pereonite 7 twice as long as pereonite 1; pleonites and urosomites dorsally smooth ( Figure 2 View FIGURE 2 ).

Antennae. Antenna 1 ( Figure 3A View FIGURE 3 ) peduncle article 1 longest, as long as articles 2–3 combined, without ventral process; accessory flagellum vestigial; main flagellum articles 1–3 as length as peduncular article 2, main flagellum article 3 posterior margin set of callynophores; rest flagellum missing. Antenna 2 ( Figure 3B View FIGURE 3 ) peduncular article 3 with ventrodistal robust seta, article 4 thicker than 5, of same length rest flagellum missing.

Mouthparts Maxilla 1 ( Figure 3C View FIGURE 3 ) inner plate tapering distally with 6 curved setae marginally, and 1 tiny seta distally; outer plate with 14 apical slender setae; palp 2 articulate; proximal article 0.7 as length as distal article; distal article 5 long and 4 short robust setae. Maxilla 2 ( Figure 3D View FIGURE 3 ) inner plate narrower than outer, tapering distally, 7 anteromedial long setae; outer plate distally wide long smooth setae apically. Mandibles 5 incisors, molar triturative; long seta in lateral margin; palp 3 articles, article 2 thickens distally, 3 setae next to the base of article 3, distal article short, stout, 8 long curved robust setae on inner margin. Right mandible ( Figure 3E View FIGURE 3 ) 2 teeth on lacinia mobilis, 4 accessory setae. Left mandible ( Figure 3F View FIGURE 3 ) 4 teeth on lacinia mobilis, 5 accessory setae. Upper lip ( Figure 3G View FIGURE 3 ) longer than wide, not tapering. Lower lip ( Figure 3H View FIGURE 3 ) as long as wide, inner plate absent, mandibular lobes well developed. Maxilliped ( Figure 3I View FIGURE 3 ) inner plate 3 molariform robust setae distally, 6 simple setae, 3 marginal setae subdistally, outer plate a bit shorter than palp article 2, 8 molariform teeth, 1 simple distal seta, 5 long distal setae in palp article 2, 1 subdistally, article 3 half-length as article 2, article 3, 7 distal setae, 6 subdistally setae, dactylus 0.9 as length as propodus.

Gnathopod 1 (Figura 4A) rudimentary; completely hidden behind coxa 2; basis thickening distally; sets of 6 long and 5 short distal simple setae; 1 single marginal seta; 11 long on the opposite side. Gnathopod 2 ( Figure 4B View FIGURE 4 ) coxa as long as it is tall; as long as carpus length; basis as long as merus and carpus combined; anterior margin one long; 6 short setae; posterior margin 3 distal setae; ischium shorter than basis; merus 4 posterior margin subdistal setae; carpus distoventral lobe 8 long setae; carpus 1.3 longer than propodus; 2 anterodorsal setae; propodus oblique; 2 setae anterior margin; 6 anterior; 12 palmar margin setae; palmar corner defined by 2 strong robust setae; posterior margin 2 short setae; dactylus fixing palm; oostegite large as long as the entire gnathopod; laminar, long marginal extensions.

Pereopod 3 ( Figure 5A View FIGURE 5 ) coxa quadrangular, thickening ventrally; basis 2 posterodistal short setae; isquium 1 posterodistal seta; merus—carpus same length than propodus; 2 long curved setae merus anterior lobe; posterior margin 2 midway short setae; 1 distally; propodus 2 short setae anterodistally; posterior margin 2 short setae midway; posterodistal fissure present; dactylus as length as propodus; oostegite as length as the entire pereopod; long extensions anterior margin; shorter in posterior margin. Pereopod 4 ( Figure 5B View FIGURE 5 ) coxa the largest; posterior lobe broad; posterior margin convex; basis 1 antero and postero distal setae; ischium naked; merus and carpus as length as propodus; merus anterodistal lobe small; 1 apical seta; 1 midway anterior and posterior seta; 2 long 2 short posterodistal setae; Midway carpus 4 distal 2 midway posterior setae; propodus posterodistal fissure present; dactylus curved; 0.4 as length as propodus; oostegite not surpass carpus. Pereopod 5 ( Figure 5C View FIGURE 5 ) coxa widening ventrally; basis 2 posterodistal, 3 midway short setae; propodus as legth as isquium—carpus combined; merus anterodistal lobe 3 setae; 1 posterodistally; carpus 2 anterodistal 2 posterodistal, 2 midway short setae; propodus 2 midway, 1 anterodistal seta; posterodistal fissure present; 5 anterodistal, 2 midway setae; curved dactylus as length as merus; oostegite not surpass carpus. Pereopod 6 ( Figure 6A View FIGURE 6 ) pereopod 6 coxa curved in right angle; 4 submarginal posterior setae; basis subrectangular; wide; mid line 4 short, 2 long robust setae; anterior lobe 7 plumose robust setae; ischium triangular; 1 short subdistal anterior seta; merus as length as basis; anterior margin 3 sets 2–3 setae; discret posterodistal lobe 2 long setae; 2 single setae; 2 sets 2–3 setae; rest missing. Pereopod 7 ( Figure 6B View FIGURE 6 ) coxa ovoidal; anterior margin 3 setae; 2 apically; posterior margin 7 marginal setae; discreete posterior lobe; ischium triangular; anterodistal seta; merus posterior lobe 2 robust and 2 slender setae; 2 sets of 2 setae posterior margin; 2 anterodistal setae: rest missing.

Uropod 1 ( Figure 7A View FIGURE 7 ) peduncle 4 setae outer margin; 1 robust 1 simple subdistal setae outer ramus; bifid distally; as length as peduncle; 1.3 as length as inner ramus; 5 setae outer margin; 5 setae inner margin; 2 joint robust distal setae. Uropod 2 ( Figure 7B View FIGURE 7 ) the shortest; peduncle 1 subdistal robust seta; 2 times longer than outer ramus; outer ramus 1 distal 1 subdistal setae; inner ramus inner margin 1 robust seta midway; distally curved, pointed. Uropod 3 (Figura 7C) peduncle 0.3 as long as rami; rami equals in length; inner ramus inner margin 6 simple setae basally; 8 plumose long setae distally; inner margin 1 small subdistal seta; outer margin 1 short seta outer margin; 1 midway long seta; 2 subdistal; not pointed.

Telson ( Figure 7D View FIGURE 7 ). 3 longer than wide; bilobed; notched half way; each lobe 1 lateral, 1 subterminal short setae. Epimerum 1 posteroventral corner curved. Epimerum 2 almost acute; 8 strong teeth. Epimerum 3 posterior margin ( Figure 7E View FIGURE 7 ).

Remarks. The 15 known species of Batea can be separated in 2 groups. The former for those with body dorsally smooth, which includes B. floreshiguerai sp. nov., and the second for those with 1 or more pereonal or pleonal posterodorsal processes. Therefore, the present discussion focuses on distinguishing species with completely smooth back. In this sense the new species differs from the species in the group by having the combination of the following characters: kidney-shaped eyes; peduncular article 1 of antenna 1 without ventral process; vestigial accessory flagellum of antenna 1; main flagellum article 3 of antenna 1 posterior margin with a set of callynophore; left and right mandibles with lacinia mobilis bearing 4 and 2 teeth, respectively; mandibular lobes of the lower lip well developed; propodus of gnathopod 2 palmar margin oblique, palmar angle defined by two robust setae; pereopods 3–5 posterodistal margin of propodi with fissures (described for the first time in the genus); pereopod 6 coxa curved at right angles, with four posterior submarginal setae; subrectangular basis of pereopod 6; epimeral plate 3 posterior margin with eight strong teeth. For more details you can consult the dichotomous key that is offered to distinguish all known Batea species.