Galacantha spinosa A. Milne-Edwards, 1880

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.