Anamudiana granulata Z 2025, comb. nov.
Year: 2025
Type: other
Abstract: Anamudiana granulata (Pati & Sharma, 2013) comb. nov. [Anamudi crab] (Figs. 10, 11) Travancoriana granulata Pati & Sharma, 2013: 276, figs. 2–4. Travancoriana granulata – Rajesh et al. 2017: 145, fig. 23.—Pati 2020: 162 (list).— Pati & Pradhan 2020: 555836 (list). Type material examined. Holotype: male (CW 33.7 mm, CL 26.1 mm, CH 15.0 mm, FW 10.3 mm) (ZSI-WRC C.1132), India, Kerala State, Idukki District, Eravikulam National Park, Bheemanada, 10.19545° N, 77.08647° E, elev. 2209 m a.s.l., coll. K.C. Gopi et al., 12 April 1994. – Paratypes: male (CW 35.4 mm, CL 26.9 mm, CH 16.4 mm, FW 10.1 mm) (ZSI-WRC C.579), same collection data as for holotype; 2 males (CW 14.1–32.4 mm, CL 11.0– 23.9 mm, CH 5.7–13.3 mm, FW 4.9–9.7 mm), 3 females (CW 16.2–39.7 mm, CL 12.5–29.7 mm, CH 5.9–17.4 mm, FW 5.4–11.1 mm) (ZSI-WRC C.572), India, Kerala State, Idukki District, Eravikulam National Park, Anamudi, 10.16969° N, 77.06400° E, elev. 2472 m a.s.l., coll. K.C. Gopi et al., 5 April 1994. Other material examined. India– Kerala State: male (CW 44.4 mm, CL 33.5 mm, CH 19.5 mm, FW 12.9 mm), female (CW 14.4 mm, CL 11.9 mm, CH 4.7 mm, FW 5.3 mm) (ZSI-WRC C.598), Idukki District, Eravikulam National Park, Kolukkumalai, 10.05652° N, 77.21555° E, elev. 1725 m a.s.l., coll. M.S. Pradhan et al., 4 September 1993; female (CW 44.1 mm, CL 33.5 mm, CH 19.6 mm, FW 13.0 mm) (ZSI-WRC C.584), same collection data as for preceding, coll. K.C. Gopi et al., 10 April 1994; male (CW 19.0 mm, CL 13.9 mm, CH 8.2 mm, FW 6.1 mm) (ZSI-WRC C.574), Idukki District, Eravikulam National Park, Meenathotti, 10.16049° N, 77.01072° E, elev. 1708 m a.s.l., coll. K.C. Gopi et al., 6 April 1994; male (CW 22.2 mm, CL 16.3 mm, CH 9.0 mm, FW 7.0 mm), female (CW 16.1 mm, CL 11.9 mm, CH 6.4 mm, FW 5.1 mm) (ZSI-WRC C.610), Idukki District, Eravikulam National Park, Anamudi, 10.16968° N, 77.06400° E, elev. 2472 m a.s.l., coll. R. M. Sharma, 28 February 1995; female (CW 21.2 mm, CL 15.6 mm, CH 8.5 mm, FW 6.7 mm) (ZSI-WRC C.573), Idukki District, Eravikulam National Park, Rajamalai, 10.17366° N, 77.00903° E, elev. 2072 m a.s.l., coll. K.C. Gopi et al., 3 April 1994; male (CW 22.2 mm, CL 16.5 mm, CH 9.2 mm, FW 7.2 mm), female (CW 22.8 mm, CL 16.9 mm, CH 9.7 mm, FW 7.2 mm) (ZSI-WRC C.575), same collection data as for preceding, 4 April 1994; male (CW 38.6 mm, CL 28.2 mm, CH 16.4 mm, FW 11.1 mm) (ZSI-WRC C.635), Idukki District, Eravikulam National Park, Eravikulam Hut, 10.22164° N, 77.07854° E, elev. 2150 m a.s.l., coll. R. M. Sharma, 25 February 1995. Diagnosis. As for new genus. Remarks. The two high mountain dwellers, A. granulata comb. nov. and Pa. convexa comb. nov., share the same locality at Meenathotti of the Eravikulam National Park but might have different ecological requirements or habitat preferences. For instance, Pa. convexa comb. nov. was collected from the gravel bank of a fast-flowing stream at a relatively lower elevation (1708 m a.s.l.; see other material examined for Pa. convexa comb. nov.); while A. granulata comb. nov. generally prefers stagnant water bodies or slow-flowing streams at relatively higher elevations (1708–2472 m a.s.l.; see ecological notes below). Although both these above species can occupy the same general area and may have similar physiognomy (e.g., low carapace and broadly triangular external orbital angle with long outer margin; Figs. 7A, 9A, 10A), A. granulata comb. nov. can be easily differentiated from Pa. convexa comb. nov., by the shallower cervical grooves (Fig. 10A) (versus cervical grooves relatively deep; Figs. 7A, 9A); the semicircular medial tooth of the epistome posterior margin (Fig. 10B) (versus epistome posterior margin with a triangular medial tooth; Figs. 7B, 9B); the relatively slender adult male chelipeds (see Pati & Sharma 2013: figs. 2A–C, 3E) (versus adult male chelipeds relatively stouter; Figs. 7A, 9A, C); the relatively shorter male sternopleonal cavity reaching to the imaginary line joining the medial part of the cheliped coxae (Fig. 10D) (versus male sternopleonal cavity relatively longer reaching to the imaginary line joining the anterior part of the cheliped coxae; Figs. 7C, 10C); the relatively narrower male pleon with strongly concave lateral margins and a subquadrate pleonal somite 6 (Fig. 10D, E) (versus male pleon relatively broader with almost straight lateral margins and a trapezoidal pleonal somite 6; Figs. 7C, 9C, E); and the relatively slender G1, with a short ultimate article, ca. 0.25 times the length of the penultimate article (Fig. 11A, B) (versus G1 stout, with a long ultimate article, ca. 0.5–0.6 times the length of the penultimate article; Figs. 8A, B, 9F, G). Ecological notes. Anamudiana granulata comb. nov. is an inhabitant of the high-rolling plateau of the Eravikulam National Park, which is situated at an isolated mountain range of the southern Western Ghats (Pati & Sharma 2013). The highest peak of the Western Ghats, Anamudi (elevation 2690 m a.s.l.), is located within the national park. This species is known for occupying higher elevations of the Eravikulam National Park, including that at Anamudi (1708–2472 m a.s.l.). Crabs of this species were found in a small and swampy waterbody where small streams adjoin; individuals were also recorded from several streams within the national park (Pati & Sharma 2013). As opined by Pati & Sharma (2013), A. granulata comb. nov. might have evolved as a distinct species [now a distinct new genus] as it remains isolated and adapted for a unique ecosystem with higher elevations, shola forest, heavy rainfall during the monsoon and very low temperature during the winter. Geographical distribution. As for new genus. Genus Naduganiana gen. nov. (Figs. 12, 13) Type species. Travancoriana kuleera Bahir & Yeo, 2007, by present designation; gender of genus feminine. Diagnosis. Medium sized crabs (maximum CW 28.0 mm). Carapace relatively broad (CW/CL = ca. 1.3–1.4), relatively low (CH /CW = ca. 0.4), with moderately convex lateral margins; frontal medial triangle incomplete, lateral margins indiscernible; postorbital cristae well-developed, reaching lateral margins of carapace; external orbital angle broadly triangular, with long outer margin, ca. 3 times length of inner margin; epibranchial tooth low, located at same level of postorbital cristae; epistome posterior margin with well-developed, trapezoidal medial tooth and strongly sinuous lateral lobes (Fig. 12A–C, E). Maxilliped 3 with well-developed flagellum on exopod (Fig. 12F). Chelipeds relatively slender in adult males (Fig. 12A). Ambulatory legs relatively stout, shorter, glabrous (Fig. 12A, E). Male s2/s3 distinct as broad, deep groove, not reaching edge of sternum; male s3/s4 distinct as deep, complete groove, reaching edge of sternum (Fig. 12D). Male sternopleonal cavity relatively short, reaching to imaginary line joining anterior part of cheliped coxae (Fig. 12D). Male pleon relatively narrow, with strongly concave lateral margins; pleonal somite 6 subquadrate, relatively narrow, proximal width ca. 1.2 times medial length, with gently concave lateral margins (Fig. 12D, G). Male telson as long as broad, medial length ca. 1.0 times proximal width, with gently concave lateral margins (Fig. 12D, G). G1 relatively stout; ultimate article conical, relatively slender, distally distinctly curved outwards, relatively short, ca. 0.4 times length of penultimate article, tip blunt and bent; penultimate article stout, with sinuous outer margin (Figs. 12H, I, 13A, B). G2 longer than G1, ca. 1.2 times G1 length; ultimate article long, ca. 0.5 times length of penultimate article (Figs. 12J, 13C). Vulvae relatively widely located from each other (VD/SW = ca. 0.3) (Fig. 12K). Etymology. The genus name is derived from the Nadugani Hills, which are located in the central Western Ghats of India bordering Kerala and Tamil Nadu states. The gender of this genus is feminine. Remarks. The species described by Bahir & Yeo (2007) as Travancoriana kuleera is assigned to Naduganiana gen. nov. after comparing with Travancoriana s. str. (see remarks for Travancoriana). Naduganiana gen. nov. includes a lone species, Naduganiana kuleera (Bahir & Yeo, 2007) comb. nov. Naduganiana gen. nov. can be differentiated from the gecarcinucid genera of southern India by the following suite of morphological characters in addition to the medium sizes of the crabs (maximum CW 28.0 mm): the relatively low carapace (CH /CW = ca. 0.4) (Fig. 12C); the well-developed postorbital cristae reaching the carapace lateral margins (Fig. 12A, E); the broadly triangular external orbital angle, with the long outer margin, ca. 3 times the inner margin length (Fig. 12A, E); the low epibranchial tooth located at the same level of the postorbital cristae (Fig. 12A, E); the maxilliped 3 exopod with a well-developed flagellum (Fig. 12F); the relatively deep male s2/s3 and s3/s4 with the latter suture distinct as a deep, complete groove, reaching the sternum edge (Fig. 12D); the subquadrate and relatively narrow male pleonal somite 6, with the proximal width ca. 1.2 times the medial length (Fig. 12D, G); the stout G1 with a bent tip, the ultimate article being relatively slenderer and shorter, ca. 0.4 times the length of the penultimate article (Figs. 12H, I, 13A, B); the distinctly longer G 2 in relation to the G1 length (Figs. 12H–J, 13); and the relatively widely positioned vulvae (VD/SW = ca. 0.3) (Fig. 12K). Naduganiana gen. nov. (see Figs. 12, 13) might be confused with Vanni (see Figs. 14–21) as did Pati et al. (2014, 2019b) (see remarks for Naduganiana kuleera comb. nov.). This is mainly because of their subequal size, equally broad and low carapace, more or less equally long outer margin of the external orbital angle (ca. 2–3 times the length of the inner margin), and low epibranchial tooth (Figs. 12A–C, E, 14A, B, 16A, B, 18A–C, E, 20A–C, E). Naduganiana gen. nov. is nevertheless separated from Vanni s. str. especially by the glabrous ambulatory legs (Fig. 1
Author: Z, Sameer Kumar Pati
Language: English
Subfield: Ecology
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W6893288126
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