Two New Species of Leptochelia (Crustacea, Tanaidacea) from the West Coast of Korea

Abstract

Two new species of Leptochelia Dana, 1849 are described from the western coast of Korea. Leptochelia grandidentata n. sp. is similar to L. itoi and L. lusei characterized by pleonites 4 and 5 of subequal lengths and a uropod endopod with 4 articles but differentiated by a cheliped fixed finger longer than the dactylus and with 4 teeth along the incisive margin, a maxilliped basis with 4 distal setae, and pereopod 1 propodus that is much longer than the combined length of unguis and dactylus. Leptochelia suhi n. sp. shares some features of L. myora with the first article of the uropod endopod longer than the second article and a maxilliped endite with 3 spiniform distal setae but can be differentiated by the cephalothorax being longer than the pleon, the relatively longer antennule article 3 compared to article 2, and the cheliped fixed finger with 3 robust teeth along the incisive margin. In this study, full descriptions of L. grandidentata and L. suhi are given, and a comparison with closely related species belonging to the ‘dubia/savignyi group’ is tabulated and discussed.

Keywords

• Korean coastal waters; macrobenthos; Tanaidaceans; Leptochelia; dubia/savignyi group
• Korean coastal waters
• macrobenthos
• Tanaidaceans
• Leptochelia
• dubia/savignyi group