Lauriea gardineri ( Laurie, 1926 )

Botha, Thomas P. A., Griffiths, Charles L., Atkinson, Lara J. & Macpherson, Enrique, 2025, The Galatheidae (Anomura: Galatheoidea) of South Africa, with a description of a new species, Zootaxa 5661 (3), pp. 330-350 : 342

Lauriea gardineri ( Laurie, 1926)

Galathea gardineri Laurie, 1926: 131 , pl. 9, figs. 1–5.

Lauriea gardineri .— Macpherson & Robainas-Barcia, 2013: 144 , figs. 3, 8A, 9A (and references cited therein); Macpherson et al., 2023: 383.

Material examined. South Africa, 27°0’24.00”S, 32°55’12.00”E, 66 m, 06/06/1990, SAMC-A094845 , 1 ovig. ♀ 2.1 mm .

Variation. Carapace slightly wider than long. Antennal article 1 process clearly reaching end of article 2. P1 2.8 times carapace length, not 3.2; P1 merus also slightly shorter than carapace; carpus dorsal surface with several rows of strong spines; movable finger armed on mesial margin with row of spines extending half length of finger. P2–4 propodi with strong spines on extensor margin and 3 slender movable spines instead of 5–6. P3 carpus with 3–4 spines on extensor margin instead of 0–2.

Global distribution. Madagascar, Mauritius and Seychelles, and now South Africa, 18–355 m.

South African distribution. Boteler Point , KwaZulu-Natal, 66 m ( Fig. 5 ) .

Genetic data. Not available from South African specimens .

Remarks The L. gardineri specimen examined agrees well with the original description and Macpherson & Robainas-Barcia (2013) and represents a small range extension, as it is likely only known from the southwestern Indian Ocean. Macpherson & Robainas-Barcia (2013) recommended additional work is required to confirm the status of material from the Red Sea and Somali Republic This represents not only a new species record, but also a new genus record for South Africa. This species is easily recognisable in South African waters as the carapace and walking legs are extremely setose and the second to fourth pereopod dactyli are curved and strongly biunguiculate.

Figures

FIGURE 5. Marine ecoregions in South African waters (Sink et al. 2019) with distribution of species in the genera Allogalathea, Lauriea and Phylladiorhynchus superimposed.