Description of a new species of the Petrolisthes galathinus complex from the Caribbean Sea, and resurrection of Petrolisthes occidentalis from the East Pacific (Crustacea, Anomura, Porcellanidae)

By

Hiller, Alexandra
Werding, Bernd

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2024

Original Publication

ZooKeys

Volume

1191

Pages

391--407

Subjects

Caribbean , colour morphs , ecological range , geographical range , Petrolisthes coeruleus sp. nov , Petrolisthes occidentalis

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1191.111570

 

Abstract

The Petrolisthes galathinus complex currently consists of six American species distributed in the West Atlantic, including the amphi-American P. galathinus. All species in the complex are similar in their adult morphology but differ in colour, size, larval morphology, and shape of the adult sternal plate. The West Atlantic species have different geographic ranges, which overlap in the southern Caribbean. Previously published molecular data support the monophyly of the complex, and the reciprocal monophyly of each described species and further clades corresponding to different colour morphs. Here, the morph P. caribensis “Blue” is described as Petrolisthes coeruleussp. nov., and Petrolisthes occidentalis is formally resurrected for the Pacific individuals of P. galathinus. By adding these two species to the P. galathinus complex, this now consists of eight species. Colour illustrations of all species and colour morphs are provided and their geographic distributions and ecological ranges are discussed and updated.