A new genus and species of a submarine cave crab of the family Plagusiidae Dana, 1851 (Crustacea: Brachyura: Grapsoidea) from Okinawa Island, Ryukyu Islands, southwestern Japan.

Abstract

Caligoplagusia okinawa n. gen. & n. sp., assigned to the brachyuran family Plagusiidae Dana, 1851 is described on the basis of a male and a female specimens collected from a semi-submerged marine cave on the limestone shore of Okinawa Island, Ryukyu Islands, southwestern Japan. The new monotypic genus is most similar to Euchirograpsus H. Milne Edwards, 1853 and Miersiograpsus Trkay, 1978 in that the frontal margin lacks a deep sublateral cleft adjacent to the orbit, but differs significantly by its subhexagonal carapace shape, the anterolateral margin of the carapace with three teeth including the external orbital tooth, the anterior margin of ambulatory meri each armed with a row of large teeth, and the greatly reduced eyes. The pale body colour, reduced eyes, the very elongate antennal flagellum, and long ambulatory legs are all typical brachyuran adaptations to living in cave environments. This is the first cave-dwelling species of the family Plagusiidae.