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| Pachycheles ravichandrani Sureandiran, Radhakrishnan, S. Kumar & T. T. A. Kumar, 2026 |
Abstract
A new species of porcelain crab, Pachycheles ravichandrani sp. nov. is described from specimens collected at Agatti Island, Lakshadweep, India. Pachycheles ravichandrani sp. nov. shares similar morphology with P. garciaensis (Ward 1942) and P. setiferous Yang, 1996 in the following characters: carapace with trilobed front, cheliped without setae, 5-plated telson and presence of a pair of pleopods in males. The new species, however, is differentiated by the presence of setae along lateral ridges and posterior margin of carapace, minor cheliped with distinct gap between fingers and cutting edge of minor cheliped truncate. To validate the taxonomic status of the new species, molecular analysis, using COI and 16S rRNA genes were carried out. Phylogenetic reconstruction consistently showed P. ravichandrani sp. nov. as a distinct, well-supported lineage separate from all congeners. Genetic divergence within the genus Pachycheles ranged from 12.6–21.7% (COI) and 4.0–13.7% (16S rRNA).
Crustacea, Crab, Integrative taxonomy, Indian Ocean, Lakshadweep reefs
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| Pachycheles ravichandrani sp. nov. in live condition, collected from Agatti Island, Lakshadweep. Specimen not preserved. Scale bar: 1 mm. |
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Pachycheles ravichandrani sp. nov., holotype male, PORPRAV/NBFGR, CW 3.69 mm. A, carapace, dorsal view; B, frontal lobe, frontal view; C, antennular peduncle, dorsal view; D, antennule basal segment, dorsal view; E, maxilliped 3, ventral view; F, thoracic sternite, ventral view; G, pleopod, dorsal view. Scale bars: A, B, F = 1 mm; C–E, G = 0.5 mm. A, major cheliped, dorsal view; B, fingers of major cheliped, closer view; C, minor cheliped, dorsal view (paratype male, PORPRAV/NBFGR.1); D, fingers of minor cheliped, closer view (paratype male); E, P2, lateral view; F, P3, lateral view; G, P4, lateral view; H, P5, lateral view. Scale bars: A–D = 1 mm; E–H = 0.5 mm. |
Pachycheles ravichandrani sp. nov.
BALAMURUGAN SUREANDIRAN, DIVYA PREMA RADHAKRISHNAN, SENDHIL KUMAR and THIPRAMALAI THANGAPPAN AJITH KUMAR. 2026. Pachycheles ravichandrani, A New Species of Porcelain Crab from Lakshadweep, India (Crustacea: Decapoda: Porcellanidae). Zootaxa. 5849(2); 227-238. DOI: doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5849.2.6 [2026-07-13]
