DNA barcoding and morphology revealed the existence of seven new species of squat lobsters in the family Munididae (Decapoda, Galatheoidea) in the southwestern Pacific.
Enrique MacphersonPaula C Rodríguez-FloresAnnie MachordomPublished in: ZooKeys (2024)
Specimens of squat lobsters belonging to the family MunididaeAhyong et al., 2010, representing the genera Garymunida Macpherson & Baba, 2022, Trapezionida Macpherson & Baba, 2022 and Typhlonida Macpherson & Baba, 2022, were collected during several cruises around New Caledonia and Papua New Guinea, Southwest Pacific. The integrative study of these specimens revealed the presence of one new species in Garymunida , five in Trapezionida and one in Typhlonida . We describe and illustrate these new species, providing some new data on the taxonomy of several rare or scarcely studied species of Trapezionida . Molecular data from different markers (mitochondrial and nuclear) was also included, based on data availability, to support the taxonomic status of different species. Finally, a key to species for each genus is also provided.