Gnathophyllum americanum Guerin-Meneville 1855

Gnathophyllum americanum Guerin-Meneville, 1855

(Figure 4 B)

Restricted synonymy:

Gnathophyllum americanum Guerin-Meneville, 1855: viii, pi. 2: fig. 14. Holthuis, 1949: 244 –249, figs. 5, 6. Manning, 1963: 58, figs. 5, 6. Bruce, 1975: 25, Fig. 12. Manning and Chace, 1990: 12, 13, fig. 7, Chace and Bruce, 1993: 13, Li, 1997: 38, 223–251.

Material examined. 2 individuals (ovigerous), (tl 1.2 & 1.4 cm, cl 0.4 & 0.5 mm), Agatti Island, Lakshadweep, rocky intertidal, on sea urchin Echinometra sp. 10o50’44.42”N 72o11’23.26”E, coll. T. Marudhupandi and S. Prakash, 13th November 2011, (MBRC /ZSI M1-60).

Diagnosis based on the collected material. Rostrum short and broad, reached beyond the base of the antennular peduncle, dorsal margin has 4 teeth and ventral margin has one teeth. Carapace smooth and bears antennal spines. First segment of the antennular penduncle broad and stylocerite extend beyond the anterior margin of the segment. Antennal flagellum has fused joints with bi-ramus. Scaphocerite broad and extends beyond the antennular peduncle. Third maxilliped extends up to scaphocerite which is broader than the antepenultimate segment. First pereiopods are slender and equal with carpus larger than the chela; second pereiopods are robust and equal; third to fifth pereiopods are similar with propodus larger than the dactylus. Telson bears two pairs of spines on the larteral margin and three pairs on the posterior end. Uropods are short and rounded.

Habitat. Specimens were collected from the rocky intertidal area under the rocks. Often found associated with sea urchins Echinometra sp.

Distribution. Bermudas, southern Florida, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean Sea; Canary Islands; and Indo- Pacific region from the Red Sea to the Tuamotu Archipelago (Holthuis, 1949; Li 1997). Now from India.

Remarks. It has been recorded from all the tropical seas. Currently known from the Indian seas.