Some litholid crabs (Crustacea, Decapoda, Lithodidae) from the Salomon Islands (SW Pacific Ocean) with the description of a new species

Abstract

Four species of Lithodid crabs from the Solomon Islands were collected during the Solomon 1 cruise carried out off the Solomon Islands. One new species, Paralomis mendagnai, is described and illustrated. Three other species, Neolithodes nipponensis, Paralomis dawsoni and P. haigae, are reported for the first time from these islands. The new species of Paralomis closely resembles P. medipacifica Takeda, 1974, from Midway Islands (Central Pacific) and is characterised by the dorsal surface of the carapace thickly covered with rounded, more or less prominent granules of different sizes. Both species are easily distinguished by the armature of the scaphocerite and pereiopods. A key to the species of the genus Paralomis from the western and central Pacific Ocean is presented.