Decapoda - Anomura - Galatheidae - Galathea

Galathea polyphemus Macpherson & Robainas-Barcia, 2015

1 Illustration(s)

World Distribution
Macpherson & Robainas-Barcia (2015, Zootaxa) - French Polynesia, Society Islands; depth not recorded

Environnement : Marine - Substrat/Association : Hard bottom (rock and rubbles)

Vertical range : Shallow-waters (0-100 m) - Min-Max observed: 0-20 m

Central Pacific data (Wallis & Futuna, Polynesia, Clipperton, Easter Island)
Macpherson & Robainas-Barcia (2015, Zootaxa) - Galathea polyphemus Macpherson & Robainas-Barcia, 2015; Zootaxa, 246: Holotype: French Polynesia, Society Islands. Moorea, outer reef slope, 12 October 2008: ov. F 4.0 mm (UF15464). Paratypes: French Polynesia, Society Islands. Moorea, June–August 2006: 1 M 5.6 mm (UF13856). French Polynesia, Society Islands. Moorea, outer reef slope, 12 October 2008: 1 M 4.4 mm (UF15414); 1 M 4.4 mm (UF15427); 1 M 3.4 mm (UF15455); 1 ov. F 4.0 mm (UF15463); 1 F 3.9 mm (UF18867).
Not Galathea pilosa - In part, Moorea Biocode project first record for FP. - Poupin & Juncker, 2010: 289, CRISP field guide, Moorea (from Biocode), photo c, A. Anker = G. polyphemus Macpherson & Robainas-Barcia, 2015.

Comment(s) on data
Galathea polyphemus n. sp. and G. pilosa De Man, 1888 are closely related. There are not clear morphological differences between the two species, but the living coloration provides the differentiation of them. In this new species, the base color of the carapace and abdomen is purple, whereas it is red in G. pilosa. In spite of the morphological proximity, the genetic divergences between the two are enough great to recognize them as distinct species (15. 3 % for COI, 9.4 % for 16S rRNA). (Tab. 1).

References : PDF list, 214 pp (1.4 Mo)

This species in Worms Database