| Abstract |
A new monotypic family, Kiwaidae n. fam., is proposed for Kiwa hirsuta
n. gen., n. sp., new genus and new species collected in hydrothermal vents of
the Pacific-Antarctic Ridge, south of Easter Island. The new family belongs to
the superfamily Galatheoidea, having similarities with the family
Chirostylidae, but with distinctive characters including carapace shape and
ornamentation, insertion of fifth pereopod not visible and situated below
sternal plastron, sternite between third maxillipeds large and strongly produced
anteriorly; eyes strongly reduced, antennal scale absent and chelipeds
and walking legs with dense mat of setae. Molecular data (18S rRNA) gene
confirm the clear difference between anomuran families, placing the new taxa
closer to the families Chirostylidae, Galatheidae and Porcellanidae than to
Aeglidae. |
