Atlantolocia, Galil, 2009

Genus Atlantolocia View in CoL n. gen.

TYPE SPECIES. — Philyra laevidorsalis Miers, 1881 .

ETYMOLOGY. — Atlantolocia – referring to its affinity with Seulocia Galil, 2005 , and the type species’ distribution along the Atlantic coast of Africa. Gender feminine.

DIAGNOSIS. — Carapace subpentagonal, globose; regions of carapace indistinct.Dorsal surface of carapace glabrous, punctate. Frontal region slightly produced, upcurved, laterally concave. Antennular fossa transversely ovoid, antennules fold obliquely within fossa. Antennae short, inserted between antennular fossa and orbit. Orbits small, rounded, outer orbital margin unisutured. Eyes retractable. Anterior margin of efferent branchial channel forms part of lower orbital margin, visible in dorsal view. External maxilliped exopod laciniate, as wide as endopod; endopodal ischium longer than subtriangular merus, bearing in female setose fringe lengthwise. Lateral margin of carapace beaded from outer orbital angle to last pereiopod; anterolateral margin sinuous, posterolateral margin rounded. Epimeral margin closely beaded, posteriorly visible in dorsal view, continuous with granulate posterior margin. Posterior margin straight in male, rounded in female; deflexed posterior surface granulate. Chelipeds subequal, robust, longer in adult male than in female specimens. Cheliped merus triquetral in cross-section, anterior, posterior margins tuberculate; spongy tomentum between tubercles proximally on dorsal surface. Carpus, propodus inflated; fingers longer than upper margin of palm. Pereiopods slender, short; dactyli longer than propodi, lanceolate, terminating in cornute tips. Male abdominal sulcus deep, elongate, nearly reaching buccal cavity. First abdominal segment of male transversely narrow; second segment small, spindle-shaped. Third to sixth abdominal segments fused; twice constricted at the commissure of the fifth and sixth segments; telson laciniate. Female abdomen with first segment transversely narrow, yoke-like; second to sixth segments fused, greatly enlarged, shield-like; telson triangular. First male pleopod elongate, shaft stout, sinuous, coiled twice on itself, apical process digitate, cornute. Second male pleopod short, curved, apex scoop-like, acuminate.

REMARKS

Miers (1881: 265) distinguished the species “from most of the other species of Philyra by its smooth and somewhat polished carapace and shorter robust chelipeds”, but due to the taxonomically confused state of Philyra and other leucosiid genera ( Galil 2001a, b; 2003) did not recognize it as a distinct genus. Atlantolocia n. gen. differs from Philyra s.s. in having narrow external maxilliped exopods; small, spindle-shaped second abdominal segment; and first male pleopod shaft coiled twice on itself, with short, digitate apical process. Though superficially resembling Seulocia Galil, 2005 , in its smooth, globose, subpentagonal carapace, Atlantolocia n. gen. is distinguished by its lack of thoracic sinus, the segmentation of the female abdomen, and the shape of the male abdomen and pleopods.