The systematic status of Afropisa sanctaehelenae (Chace, 1966) (Decapoda, Brachyura, Majoidea, Epialtidae): morphological and molecular evidence

By

Muñoz, Isabel
Clark, Paul F
Cuesta, Jose A.

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2025-6-27

Original Publication

ZooKeys

Volume

1243

Pages

225--240

Subjects

16S , cox1 , crab , Crustacea , DNA barcoding , Saint Helena Island

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1243.145270

 

Abstract

Afropisa sanctaehelenae (Chace, 1966) was originally described from three specimens collected from Saint Helena Island, South Atlantic, and assigned to Pisa Leach, 1814. It is a poorly known species, and until now, no new records have been reported. Recently, this species was transferred to a new genus, Afropisa Muñoz, García-Raso, González, Lopes, dos Santos & Cuesta, 2023, based exclusively on morphology. Nearly 60 years on from the original description, another eight specimens of A. sanctaehelenae have been made available for further study and sequencing. Mitochondrial 16S rRNA and cytochrome c oxidase subunit I sequences confirm the assignment of this Chace species to Afropisa. Photographs of the male holotype and female paratype confirmed the presence of additional characters; consequently, the present work provides a redescription of this species.