New records of decapod species from Malpelo Island, tropical eastern Pacific

Abstract

Two decapod species are reported for the first time in the Colombian Pacific: Trachycaris restricta A. Milne-Edwards, 1878 and Microprosthema emmiltum Goy, 1987 (both collected at 25 m depth). A third species, Glyptoxanthus labyrinthicus Stimpson, 1860 (collected at 5 m depth), previously reported for the continental Pacific coast of Colombia, represents a new record for the oceanic Island of Malpelo. These species were collected using hard artificial substrates deployed for three months. This sampling method is novel to Malpelo, where previous samplings using scuba diving were unable to report/collect these species. These findings then, highlight the usefulness of the sampling technique that besides being non-destructive, allows the collection of small sized cryptic fauna in marine habitats. Several factors can contribute to the unsuccessful record of biodiversity. In this case, the small sizes and cryptic behavior of these species, coupled with the scarcity of investigations aiming to know the sub-tidal rocky ecosystems invertebrate biodiversity in the area, could help to explain these new records.