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Issue: Vol. 5849 No. 2: 13 Jul. 2026
Type: Article
Published: 2026-07-13
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5849.2.6
Page range: 227-238
Abstract views: 324
PDF downloaded: 20

Pachycheles ravichandrani, a new species of porcelain crab from Lakshadweep, India (Crustacea: Decapoda: Porcellanidae)

ICAR-National Bureau of Fish Genetic Resources; Lucknow - 226002; India; Faculty of Fisheries Science; Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies; Kochi - 682506; India
ICAR-National Bureau of Fish Genetic Resources; Lucknow - 226002; India
Centre for Marine Living Resources and Ecology; Kochi - 682508; India
ICAR-National Bureau of Fish Genetic Resources; Lucknow - 226002; India
Crustacea Crab Integrative taxonomy Indian Ocean Lakshadweep reefs

Abstract

A new species of porcelain crab, Pachycheles ravichandrani sp. nov. is described from specimens collected at Agatti Island, Lakshadweep, India. Pachycheles ravichandrani sp. nov. shares similar morphology with P. garciaensis (Ward 1942) and P. setiferous Yang, 1996 in the following characters: carapace with trilobed front, cheliped without setae, 5-plated telson and presence of a pair of pleopods in males. The new species, however, is differentiated by the presence of setae along lateral ridges and posterior margin of carapace, minor cheliped with distinct gap between fingers and cutting edge of minor cheliped truncate. To validate the taxonomic status of the new species, molecular analysis, using COI and 16S rRNA genes were carried out. Phylogenetic reconstruction consistently showed P. ravichandrani sp. nov. as a distinct, well-supported lineage separate from all congeners. Genetic divergence within the genus Pachycheles ranged from 12.6–21.7% (COI) and 4.0–13.7% (16S rRNA).

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How to Cite

Sureandiran, B., Radhakrishnan, D.P., Kumar, S. & Kumar, T.T.A. (2026) Pachycheles ravichandrani, a new species of porcelain crab from Lakshadweep, India (Crustacea: Decapoda: Porcellanidae). Zootaxa, 5849 (2), 227–238. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5849.2.6