Ligia samoensis, Khalaji-Pirbalouty & & & Puniamoorthy & Mendoza & Jose Christopher E., 2025

Ligia samoensis , new species

( Figs. 1–6)

Material examined. Holotype. Male (14.2 mm without uropod) ( ZRC 2023.0292 View Materials ), Lano Beach, Savaiʻi Island, Samoa, 13°36.499′S 172°12.082′W, coll. H. Wong & C.K. Chim, 6 August 2015 GoogleMaps . Paratypes. 2 males (13.0 mm, 14.0 mm) ( ZRC 2023.0293 View Materials ) , 3 males (12.5 mm, 13.8 mm, 14.2 mm) ( ZRC 2023.0294 View Materials ) , 1 male (14.6 mm) ( ZRC 2023.0295 View Materials ) , 1 female (12.1 mm) ( ZRC 2023.0296 View Materials ) , 1 female (10.0 mm) ( ZRC 2023.0297 View Materials ) , same data as holotype GoogleMaps .

Diagnosis. Eyes relatively large, distance between eyes ca. 0.6 of the eye length; pleotelson length more than half of width; uropod peduncle more than twice length of pleotelson, about half length of rami, mesial margin with 6 robust setae; antennal flagellum extending to posterior margin of pleonite 3. Propodus of first pereopod without protruding triangular process on distal part; pereopods 6 and 7 dactyli with tuft of long, thin setae on tergal and subdistal margins. Appendix masculina apex tip not enlarged, apex blunt and slightly rounded, subapical margin equipped with several rows of slender and fully curved down cuticular spines.

Description of male. Body length 2.41 times greatest width (at pereonite 4) ( Figs. 1A, 2A). Cephalon with large eyes, distance between eyes ∼ 0.6 times as long as each eye length ( Figs. 1B, C, 2A). Pereonite 7 posterolateral point extending to middle of pleonite 3. Pleonite 1 visible in dorsal view but largely concealed by pereonite 7; pleonites 3–5 with a subcrescentic epimera, pleonites 4 and 5 bearing a subcrescentic, thin dorsal depression. Pleotelson length ca. 0.7 times greatest width, bearing arcuate furrow dorsally, with pointed posteromedial margin; posterolateral corners acute but not reaching pleotelson apex; posterior margin with 5–7 submarginal foraminate tricorns on each side ( Figs. 1D, 2F).

Antennula basal article with 2 simple setae on distoventral margin; article 2 covered with scaly setae, bearing 4 long setae on posterodistal angle; apical article with 4 aesthetascs ( Fig. 2B).

Antenna peduncle article 3 longer than article 2, with simple seta on dorsodistal angle; article 5 about 1.6 times as long as article 4 ( Figs. 1B, C, 2C); flagellum extending to posterior margin of pleonite 3, with 39 articles, last article ( Fig. 2D) bearing a tuft of fine setae distally.