Pilarta Bahir & Yeo, 2007

Raj, Smrithy, Kumar, Appukuttannair Biju & Ng, Peter K. L., 2025, Description of a new species of Pilarta Bahir & Yeo, 2007 (Crustacea: Brachyura: Gecarcinucidae) from the Southern Western Ghats, Kerala, India, Zootaxa 5642 (5), pp. 476-484 : 478

Genus Pilarta Bahir & Yeo, 2007

Type species. Pilarta anuka Bahir & Yeo, 2007 , by original designation; gender feminine.

Remarks. Bahir & Yeo (2007: 332, fig. 25C) described the anterior male thoracic sternum as follows: “Suture between male thoracic sternites 2–3 and 3–4 indiscernible …”, figuring sternites 1–4 as completely fused without any trace of sutures. This was repeated in the subsequent generic diagnosis by Pati et al. (2017: 14) who noted that “sutures between male thoracic sternites s2/s3 and s3/s4 indiscernible as grooves.” The figures of the male anterior thoracic sternums of their two new species show a small triangular structure that is the fused sternites 1 and 2, separated from the fused sternites 3 and 4 by a ridge or groove ( Pati et al. 2017: figs. 7g, 9g). The holotype male of P. anuka was re-examined for the present study and the sternite morphology requires further clarification. Sternites 1 and 2 are completely fused to form a triangular structure. Moreover, there is a low rounded ridge that separates these fused sternites from fused sternites 3 and 4. This low ridge is the demarcation between sternites 2 and 3 ( Fig. 4A ) and this was not accurately figured by Bahir & Yeo (2007: fig. 25C). This is the same condition for P. vaman sp. nov. ( Fig. 3D ).

Figures

FIGURE 3. Pilarta vaman sp. nov., A–D, holotype male (8.6 × 6.8 mm) (DABFUK/AR-BR-2025-5); E, F, paratype female (9.1 × 7.6 mm) (DABFUK/AR-BR-2025-6).A, right male chela; B, male anterior thoracic sternum and sternopleonal cavity; C, male pleon; D, male anterior thoracic sternites 1–3; E, right P5; F, female pleon; G, female sternopleonal cavity and vulvae.

FIGURE 4. A–D, Pilarta anuka Bahir & Yeo, 2007, holotype male (14.5 × 10.7 mm) (ZRC 2003.0238); E–L, P. vaman sp. nov., holotype male (8.6 × 6.8 mm) (DABFUK/AR-BR-2025-5). A, anterior thoracic sternites; B, E, H, ventral view of left G1; C, F, I, dorsal view of left G1; D, G, L, left G2; J, ventral view of terminal article of left G1; K, dorsal view of terminal article of left G1. Scale bars: H, I, L = 0.2 mm; J, K = 0.1 mm.