New record of Urocaridella antonbruunii (Bruce, 1967) from Southern India with taxonomic Keys of Urocaridella Borradaile, 1915 (Decapoda; Palaemonidae).

The cleaning rock pool shrimp commonly inhabit the shallow waters of reef and crevices regions at 0.5-3.0 m depth. Recent exploration conducted off the Gulf of Mannar and Agatti Island yielded the species, Urocaridella antonbruunii (Bruce, 1967) from the bottom curve of the coral boulder at a depth of 0.5-1.0 m. This is the new record for the Gulf of Mannar and Lakshadweep waters. Major distinguishing morphological characters of the congener's were described and illustrated. The molecular analysis confirmed the species occurrence in Indian waters followed the intraspecific and interspecific genetic divergences (16S gene) were estimated between 0.3-2.1% for within species and 6.4-11.2% for between species respectively. Additionally, we updated and provided the illustrative key characters for all members of the genus Urocaridella.

Urocaridella arabianensis n. sp., a new Palaemonid shrimp (Crustacea, Decapoda, Palaemonidae) from Lakshadweep Islands, India with taxonomic comparison on the genus Urocaridella Borradaile, 1915.

A new species of the genus Urocaridella Borradaile, 1915, Urocaridella arabianensis n. sp. is described and illustrated based on fifty-five specimens collected from the reef regions of Agatti Island, Lakshadweep, Arabian Sea. Urocaridella arabianensis n. sp. is morphologically close to U. pulchella Yokes Galil, 2006, reported from the Mediterranean Sea. However, the present specimen is clearly distinguished with its rostrum length, which is 1.7 to 2.1 times as long as carapace, 10 ventral rostral teeth, carpus of 1st pereopod is 2.5 times long as palm, carpus of 2nd pereopod is 1.8 times as long as palm, presence of a spine in latero-middle of the fourth and fifth abdomens and the sixth abdominal segment is 2.3 times long as the fifth segment. Partial segment of the mitochondrial COI, 16S rRNA and nuclear gene 18S rRNA and H3 indicates that the new species is sister to a clade comprising of U. pulchella, U. antonbruunii and U. degravei. The pair wise genetic distance of COI showed great distance with the closest congeneric species.

Two new records of hippolytoid shrimps, Lysmata hochi Baeza amp; Anker, 2008 (Decapoda: Lysmatidae) and Lysmata amboinensis (de Man, 1888) from Lakshadweep Islands, India with taxonomic notes.

The present study reports the new records of two species of the hippolytid shrimp genus Lysmata Risso, 1816 in the water off Lakshadweep Islands, India from the Arabian Sea, viz. Lysmata hochi Baeza Anker, 2008 and Lysmata amboinensis (De Man, 1888) with more taxonomic information. Moreover, L. hochi is the first distributional report from the Indian Ocean. It is morphologically similar to L. kuekenthali and differences are discussed. Colour pattern and morphological trait of L. amboinensis are very close to L. grabhami which also differs in the presence of anti-penultimate segment of 3rd maxilliped more than 2.0 times as long as penultimate segment and stylocerite does not reaching the distal end of the cornea. These specimens were obtained at a depth of 0.5-2 m from the intertidal region of Agatti Island. Additionally, we estimated pairwise genetic distances for these two species and congeneric species using cytochrome oxidase subunit I gene sequences where interspecific distances ranged from 11-25.8 %.

New record of Thor hainanensis Xu amp; Li, 2014 and taxonomical remarks on Lysmata ternatensis de Man, 1902 (Decapoda: Thoridae amp; Lysmatidae) from the Lakshadweep Islands, India.

The present study reports the new record of Thor hainanensis Xu Li, 2014, on the basis of material from Agatti Islands in the Lakshadweep, India. This species was recently described from Hainan Island, China. Relationship of this species to two closely related species (T. paschalis and T. amboinensis) is discussed in this manuscript. Similarly, the present study also reports the rediscovery of other species, Lysmata ternatensis De Man, 1902 from the Lakshadweep waters with detailed taxonomic description. The present specimens were found to occur in the intertidal region in small crevices and rocks at a depth of 0.5-2.0 m. Genetic analysis using the mitochondrial COI sequences for both the species reveals close agreement for the morphological identification and showed the significant variation from the closely related species.

Periclimenella agattii sp. nov., a new Palaemonid shrimp (Crustacea, Decapoda, Palaemonidae) from Lakshadweep Islands, India.

The recent collection of Palaemonid shrimps from Agatti Island, Lakshadweep, Arabian Sea, have provided further additions to the Indian marine fauna. In the manuscript, a new species, Periclimenella agattii sp. nov. is described and illustrated. The new species is morphologically most similar to P. spinifera among other congeners, but it strongly differs from that species by having upper the antennular flagellum with 14-16 segments, short free ramus with 12-13 segments, lower antennal flagellum thin and bearing 35-37 segments; 4 minute lateral spines on basal segment of 3rd maxilliped; male palm:carpus ratio of second pereopod higher than in female, propodus of 3rd pereopod with 7-8 ventral spines and hepatic spine with groove. Genetic analysis using the mitochondrial COI and 16S rRNA genes sequences proved that, the new species is significantly distinct from the closed related species.