Ghatiana dvivarna, Hegde, 2022

Ghatiana dvivarna View in CoL sp. nov.

( Figs. 2–5 View Figure 2 View Figure 3 View Figure 4 View Figure 5 , 6B, C View Figure 6 , 7A–E View Figure 7 )

Zoobank: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:90F91C43-D89A-4257-A9DE-DB6B1E9E3D62

Type material. Holotype: male adult ( CW 24.66 mm, CL 13.61 mm, CH 10.08 mm, FW 9.42 mm), ZSI-WRC C.2075, India, Karnataka State, Uttara Kannada District, Bare , 14.801°N 74.486°E, alt. 656 m, 7 Jul. 2021, coll. P.P. Bajantri and G.D. Hegde. GoogleMaps Paratypes: 2 males ( CW 19.16–20.37 mm, CL 10.67–11.92 mm, CH 7.58-8.60 mm, FW 6.65– 7.73 mm) , 1 female ( CW 29.97 mm, CL 15.98 mm, CH 11.98 mm, FW 11.07 mm), ZSI-WRC C.2076, same data as holotype GoogleMaps ; 1 male ( CW 19.86 mm, CL 11.29 mm, CH 8.36 mm, FW 7.82 mm) , 1 female ( CW 18.23 mm, CL 10.43 mm, CH 7.70 mm, FW 7.18 mm), ZSI-WRC C.2077, same data as holotype GoogleMaps .

Comparative material. Ghatiana basalticola ( Klaus,

Fernandez and Yeo, 2014): male holotype (17.30 × 10.10 mm), IISc-CES, India, Karnataka State, Belgaum District , Jiroli , Bhimagad Wildlife Sanctuary , 15.566°N 74.411°E, alt. 852 m, Sep.2010, coll. Katrina Fernandez. GoogleMaps Ghatiana pulchra Pati and Thackeray, 2018 : male holotype (19.37 × 12.22 mm), ZSI-WRC C.1546, India, Maharashtra State, Satara District, Valmiki Pathaar , 17.246°N 73.800°E, alt. 1104 m, 8 Jul. 2016, coll. Tejas Thackeray. GoogleMaps

Type locality. India, Karnataka State, Uttara

Kannada District , Bare, 14.801°N 74.486°E, alt. 656 m. GoogleMaps

Diagnosis. Carapace in adult proportionately broad (CW/CL = 1.7–1.9), strongly arched ( CH / CL = 0.7) ( Figs. 3A, B View Figure 3 , 5A, B View Figure 5 , 7B View Figure 7 ); lateral margins strongly convex ( Figs. 3A View Figure 3 , 5A View Figure 5 , 7B View Figure 7 ); anterolateral margins relatively short, cristate ( Figs. 3A View Figure 3 , 5A View Figure 5 , 7B View Figure 7 ); epibranchial tooth visible as weak notch ( Figs.3A View Figure 3 , 5A View Figure 5 ); branchial regions rugose( Figs.3A View Figure 3 , 5A View Figure 5 ); frontal margin relatively close to anterior margin of epistome, hiding antennular fossae ( Figs.3B View Figure 3 , 5B View Figure 5 , 7A View Figure 7 ). Eyes small relative to orbits; each eye with relatively slender eyestalk ( Figs. 3B View Figure 3 , 5B View Figure 5 , 7A View Figure 7 ). First, second maxillipeds each with short flagellum on exopod; third maxilliped lacking f lagellum on exopod ( Fig. 4A View Figure 4 ). Chelipeds in both males and females highly unequal,with pointed fingertips ( Figs. 3A–C View Figure 3 , 5A, B View Figure 5 , 7E View Figure 7 ); major chela with relatively slender palm ( Figs. 4B View Figure 4 , 7E View Figure 7 ); ventral margin of fixed finger and distal half of palm of major chela gently concave ( Figs. 4B View Figure 4 , 7E View Figure 7 ). Ambulatory legs relatively short (P3 length/CL = approximately 2.0) ( Figs. 3A View Figure 3 , 5A View Figure 5 ). Male pleonal somite 6 subquadrate, slightly broader than long ( Figs. 3C View Figure 3 , 4C View Figure 4 ). Male telson elongated ( Figs. 3C View Figure 3 , 4C View Figure 4 ).G1 relatively slender, almost straight;terminal segment relatively slender, straight, relatively long, approximately 0.5 times length of subterminal segment; subterminal segment relatively slender ( Figs. 4D,E View Figure 4 , 7C View Figure 7 ). G2very short, with very short distal segment ( Fig. 4F View Figure 4 ). Female pleon and telson in adult broadly subtriangular ( Fig.5C View Figure 5 ). Vulvae in adult relatively closely positioned(VD/SW = approximately 0.2),each subovate in shape, relatively large, occupying approximately 0.5 times length of s6, positioned close to s5/s6 ( Figs. 5D View Figure 5 , 7D View Figure 7 ).

Etymology. The specific epithet, dvivarna , is derived from the Sanskrit for ‘bicolor’, referring to the crab’s colour in life, which mainly consists of two colours (white and red-violet). The name is conceived here as a noun in apposition.

Color in life. The anterior half of the dorsal surface of the cephalothorax, the ventral surface of the cephalothorax and the chelipeds are white ( Figs. 2A, B View Figure 2 , 6B, C View Figure 6 ). The posterior half of the dorsal surface of the cephalothorax is dark purplish brown ( Figs. 2A, B View Figure 2 , 6B View Figure 6 ). The ambulatory legs are red-violet ( Figs.2A,B View Figure 2 , 6B, C View Figure 6 ).

Ecological notes. The species inhabits elevated mountains of the Central Western Ghats in rocky outcrops with grassy vegetation ( Fig. 6A View Figure 6 ). The holes (25–50 mm in diameter) in the laterite rocks are their natural habitat ( Fig. 6B View Figure 6 ) (see https://youtu.be/ d4lf_DoOwtQ). Individuals can also take shelter underneath small boulders. These crabs are generally seen during the monsoon(June–September).They are mostly active during the twilight. As many as 30–40 crabs/ 500m 2 can be seen during this time when the weather is very cloudy with precipitation or mist. Their activities minimize when rain halts, and the crabs during this time can be found in the rocky holes filled with rainwater. Some crabs were seen eating mosses growing on laterite rocks ( Fig. 6C View Figure 6 ). Females carrying juvenile crabs were observed in the rocky holes.

Geographical distribution. Ghatiana dvivarna sp. nov. is currently known only from the type locality, i.e., Bare in the Uttara Kannada District of Karnataka State, India. The type locality falls within the Central Western Ghats ( Fig. 1 View Figure 1 ) .

Remarks. All three male paratypes (ZSI-WRC C.2076, 2077) of Ghatiana dvivarna sp. nov. are adults but relatively smaller than the holotype male. The male paratypes are consistent with the holotype in allied diagnostic features and color in life. Both female paratypes (ZSI-WRC C.2076, 2077) are adults and possess all the non-sexually diagnostic characters as those in the holotype. The size of one the female paratypes (ZSI-WRC C.2076) is quite large, reaching about 30 mm in CW. No variation in the shape, size and position of the vulvae is observed between the female paratypes.

The new species, G.dvivarna sp. nov., is exceptional among the congeners because of its predominantly white coloration (see color in life; Figs. 2A, B View Figure 2 , 6B, C View Figure 6 ) (vs. color in life otherwise, never so white; see Pati and Sharma, 2014: fig. 8A, B; Klaus et al., 2014: fig. S1; Pati et al., 2016: fig. 2A, B; Pati and Thackeray, 2018: fig. 2A–D; 2021: fig. 3A–C) and the smaller eyes relative to the orbits, with their eyestalk being relatively slender ( Figs. 3B View Figure 3 , 5B View Figure 5 , 7A View Figure 7 ) (vs. eyes larger relative to the orbits, each eye with a relatively stouter eyestalk; Fig.7F, J View Figure 7 ; see Pati and Thackeray, 2018: figs. 3B, 4B, 5B, 6B, 7B, 8B, 9B, 10B; 2021: figs. 1C, 4C).

Ghatiana dvivarna View in CoL sp. nov. is also unique among congeners in that it has a proportionately broader carapace (CW/CL = 1.7–1.9; Figs. 3A View Figure 3 , 5A View Figure 5 , 7B View Figure 7 ) like those of G. basalticola View in CoL (CW/CL = 1.6–1.9; Fig. 7G View Figure 7 ; see Pati and Thackeray, 2018: fig. 5A) and G. pulchra View in CoL (CW/CL = 1.6; Fig. 7K View Figure 7 ; see Pati and Thackeray, 2018: fig. 8A). The remaining species of the genus have a proportionately narrower carapace (CW/CL = 1.2–1.5; see Pati and Thackeray, 2018: figs. 3A, 4A, 6A, 7A, 9A, 10A; 2021: figs. 1A, B, 4A, B). With a broad carapace, G. dvivarna View in CoL sp. nov. morphologically resembles G. pulchra View in CoL more than G. basalticola View in CoL due to the nearly straight G1 that has a relatively longer terminal segment, approximately 0.5 times the length of the subterminal segment ( Figs. 4D View Figure 4 , 7C,L View Figure 7 ; see Pati and Thackeray, 2018: fig. 8I) (vs. G1 is medially distinctly curved outwards, with a relatively shorter terminal segment, approximately 0.3 times the length of the subterminal segment in G. basalticola View in CoL ; Fig. 7H View Figure 7 ; see Pati and Thackeray, 2018: fig. 5D). Additional difference is noted between G. dvivarna View in CoL sp. nov. and G. basalticola View in CoL in the shape of their vulvae, which is subovate in G. dvivarna View in CoL sp. nov. ( Figs. 4D View Figure 4 , 7D View Figure 7 ), while it is suborbicular in G. basalticola View in CoL ( Fig. 7I View Figure 7 ; see Pati and Thackeray, 2018: fig. 5H).

Ghatiana dvivarna View in CoL sp. nov. can be immediately distinguished from G. pulchra View in CoL by the almost hidden antennular fossae due to the relatively closely located frontal margin and the anterior margin of the epistome ( Figs. 3B View Figure 3 , 5B View Figure 5 , 7A View Figure 7 ) (vs. frontal margin is located some distance from the anterior margin of the epistome exposing the antennular fossae; Fig. 7J View Figure 7 ; see Pati and Thackeray, 2018: fig. 8B), the relatively slender palm of the major chela in adult males ( Figs. 3B View Figure 3 , 7E View Figure 7 ) (vs. major chela in adult males has a relatively stouter palm; Fig. 7M View Figure 7 ; see Pati and Thackeray, 2018: fig. 8D), and the relatively slender terminal segment of the G1 ( Figs. 3D, E View Figure 3 , 7C View Figure 7 ) (vs. G1terminal segment is relatively stouter; Fig. 7L View Figure 7 ;see Pati and Thackeray, 2018: fig.8I).