The xanthid crabs (Crustacea: Brachyura: Xanthoidea: Xanthidae) of Madagascar and adjacent southwestern Indian Ocean regions from recent marine biodiversity expeditions, 2009-2017

Abstract

The xanthid crabs (Brachyura: Xanthidae) collected by the recent expeditions to the southwestern Indian Ocean, namely, MIRIKY (2009), MAINBAZA (2009), ATIMO VATAE (2010), BIOMAGLO (2017), and WALTERS SHOAL/MD208 (2017), are reported here. A total of 73 species are reported from these collections, including the descriptions of one new genus and species (Eurycassiope alaini n. gen., n. sp.), two new species of Alainodaeus Davie, 1997 (A. bertrandi n. sp. and A. crosnieri n. sp.), one new species of Hepatoporus Serène, 1984 (H. vadosus n. sp.), and one new species of Xanthias Rathbun, 1897 (X. claudiae n. sp.). Several other species are also treated in detail, with notes on their taxonomy and diagnostic morphology.