The synonymy of Parasesarma foresti (Rahayu & Davie, 2002) with P. indiarum (Tweedie, 1940) (Decapoda, Brachyura, Sesarmidae)

Abstract

Abstract Two Southeast Asian species of Parasesarma De Man, 1895, P. indiarum (Tweedie, 1940) and P. foresti (Rahayu & Davie, 2002), have been reported to be morphologically and genetically very similar. Present comparisons of a range of material show the two species to be identical in male chelar dactylar tuberculation, pleon, and first gonopod characters, all typically used to separate close sibling species in this genus. CO1 genetic distances between the two putative species are also too low to be regarded as interspecific. Parasesarma foresti is thus here regarded as a junior subjective synonym of P. indiarum.