First record of the freshwater crab genus Esanthelphusa Naiyanetr, 1994 (Decapoda: Brachyura: Gecarcinucidae) from Myanmar, with the description of a new species from the Kayin State

ABSTRACT

No species of the gecarcinucid crab genus Esanthelphusa Naiyanetr 1994, was previously known from Myanmar. A new species, Esanthelphusa kayinensis sp. nov., is described herein from the Kayin State in Central Myanmar. Esanthelphusa kayinensis sp. nov. most resembles E. dugasti and E. nimoafi, but it can be distinguished from these congeners by a combination of characters of the carapace, third maxilliped and male first gonopod. Mitochondrial 16S rDNA genetic data was used to investigate the systematic position of the new species. Morphological diagnostic characters, geographical distribution and molecular analyses support the recognition of the new species.

KEYWORDS:

• Central Myanmar
• Crustacea
• freshwater crab
• Gecarcinucidae
• new species
• taxonomy
• 16S rDNA

Acknowledgements

We thank two anonymous reviewers and the Editor-in-Chief for their invaluable comments and suggestions, which significantly helped to improve the manuscript. We thank Feng Lin and Mengfang Chen (Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yunnan,China), Nay Htet Naing (SEABRI) and Ye Yint Tun (Forestry Research Institute, Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar) for assistance in collecting the specimens. We also thank Yujie Li and Yangqi Lv (College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University) for help in lab work. We express our sincere gratitude to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection of Myanmar for providing permission for this field work. This project was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China to SHY (No. 31772427 & 32170454) and the Southeast Asia Biodiversity Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Science to CXY (No. Y4ZK111B01).

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China to SHY [No. 31772427 & 32170454]; Southeast Asia Biodiversity Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Science to CXY [No. Y4ZK111B01].