Description of three sibling new species of the genus Munida Leach, 1820 (Decapoda, Galatheidae) from New Caledonia using morphological and molecular data.

Abstract

Three cryptic species of the genus Munida from New Caledonia, previously identified as M. tuberculata Henderson, 1885, M. notata Macpherson, 1994 and M. clinata Macpherson, 1994, are described and illustrated. The three species are identified by subtle and constant morphological characters, which match clear differences in molecular sequences (16S rDNA and COI genes). The results also confirm the importance of several of these characters (e.g. length of the antennular and antennal spines) in the taxonomy of the genus Munida.