Vanni deepta Bahir & Yeo, 2007

Vanni deepta Bahir & Yeo, 2007 View in CoL

[Golden forest crab]

( Figs. 18 View FIGURE 18 , 19 View FIGURE 19 )

Vanni deepta Bahir & Yeo, 2007: 344 View in CoL , figs. 41, 42.

Vanni deepta View in CoL – Klaus et al. 2014: 658, table S1 (list).— Rajesh et al. 2017: 146, fig. 28.—Pati 2020: 162 (list).— Pati & Pradhan 2020: 555836 (list).

Type material examined. Holotype: male ( CW 17.8 mm, CL 12.8 mm) ( ZRC 2003.0233 View Materials ), India, Kerala State, Idukki District, Kaduwappara, on Mundakayam-Kumily , 9.55722° N, 76.96111° E, elev. 685 m a.s.l., collector and collection date unknown. GoogleMaps

Other material examined. India – Kerala State: 7 males ( CW 11.9–21.5 mm, CL 9.5–15.8 mm, CH 5.3–9.3 mm, FW 4.5–7.1 mm) , 3 females ( CW 12.7–15.4 mm, CL 10.1–12.0 mm, CH 5.8–7.0 mm, FW 4.7–5.6 mm) ( ZSI-WRC C.2108) , Pathanamthitta District, Ranni Forest Division, Moozhiyar , 9.291° N, 77.132° E, elev. 1138 m a.s.l., coll. Md. Jafer Palot, 31 October 2021 GoogleMaps ; 2 males ( CW 15.9–17.2 mm, CL 12.3–12.8 mm, CH 7.1–7.4 mm, FW 5.4– 5.9 mm) ( ZSI-WRC C.2169) , Pathanamthitta District, Ranni Forest Division, Veluthode , 9.300° N, 77.040° E, elev. 155 m a.s.l., coll. K.A. Subramanian & R. Babu, 30 October 2021 GoogleMaps ; male ( CW 14.8 mm, CL 11.5 mm, CH 6.9 mm, FW 5.2 mm) , female ( CW 22.2 mm, CL 16.5 mm, CH 10.2 mm, FW 7.0 mm) ( ZSI-WRC C.2168) , Pathanamthitta District, Ranni Forest Division, Pannikunnu , 9.318° N, 77.029° E, elev. 63 m a.s.l., coll. K.A. Subramanian & R. Babu, 30 October 2021 GoogleMaps .

Diagnosis. Medium sized crabs (maximum CW 22.2 mm). Carapace relatively broad (CW/CL = ca. 1.3– 1.4), relatively low ( CH /CW = ca. 0.4–0.5) ( Fig. 18A–C, E View FIGURE 18 ); external orbital angle triangular, with short outer margin, ca. 2 times length of inner margin ( Fig. 18A, B, E View FIGURE 18 ); epibranchial tooth indiscernible ( Fig. 18A, B, E View FIGURE 18 ); male sternopleonal cavity reaching to imaginary line joining anterior part of cheliped coxae ( Fig. 18D View FIGURE 18 ); male pleonal somite 6 subquadrate, slightly broad, proximal width ca. 1.2 times medial length, as long as telson, with gently concave lateral margins ( Fig. 18D, G View FIGURE 18 ); male telson relatively less narrow, medial length ca. 1.1 times proximal width ( Fig. 18D, G View FIGURE 18 ); G1 relatively stouter ( Figs. 18H, I View FIGURE 18 , 19A, B View FIGURE 19 ); G1 ultimate article relatively slenderer, straight, relatively longer, ca. 0.3 times length of penultimate article ( Figs. 18H, I View FIGURE 18 , 19A, B View FIGURE 19 ); G1 penultimate article with distal portion relatively less narrow than basal portion, outer margin gently sinuous, basally concave ( Figs. 18H, I View FIGURE 18 , 19A, B View FIGURE 19 ); G2 slightly longer than G1, ca. 1.1 times G1 length, ultimate article long, ca. 0.4 times length of penultimate article ( Figs. 18J View FIGURE 18 , 19C View FIGURE 19 ); vulvae subovate, relatively large, occupying ca. 0.5 times length of s6, located relatively close to s5/s6 ( Fig. 18K View FIGURE 18 ).

Remarks. Vanni deepta can be differentiated from the known congeners by the gently concave lateral margins of the male pleonal somite 6 ( Fig. 18D, G View FIGURE 18 ) (versus male pleonal somite 6 with the strongly concave lateral margins; Figs. 14C, E View FIGURE 14 , 16C, H View FIGURE 16 , 20D, G View FIGURE 20 ). This species can be also distinguished from the morphologically close V. gracilis sp. nov. mainly by the relatively stouter ultimate and penultimate articles of the G1 ( Figs. 18H, I View FIGURE 18 , 19A, B View FIGURE 19 ) (versus G1 ultimate and penultimate articles relatively slenderer; Fig. 17A, B View FIGURE 17 ).

Ecological notes. Vanni deepta is typically found inhabiting areas under stones and in moist soil, adjacent to streams ( Bahir & Yeo 2007). The species can be found at lower as well as higher elevations (63–1138 m a.s.l.).

Geographical distribution. Vanni deepta appears to be restricted to the southern Western Ghats in the Idukki and Pathanamthitta districts of Kerala, southern India ( Bahir & Yeo 2007; present study) ( Fig. 1B View FIGURE 1 ).