Two new species of hydrothermal vent crabs of the genus Bythograea from the southern East Pacific Rise and from the Galapagos Rift (Crustacea Decapoda Brachyura Bythograeidae)

Abstract

Two new species of Bythograea Williams, B. vrijenhoeki n. sp. and B. galapagensis n. sp., are described based on morphology and mitochondrial DNA comparisons. B. vrijenhoeki was collected on the southern East Pacific Rise, south of the Easter Microplate and B. galapagensis from the Galapagos Rift, from where B. intermedia de Saint Laurent was also described. Our analyses indicate that B. vrijenhoeki is the sister species of B. laubieri Guinot and Segonzac, and B. galapagensis is the sister species of B. thermydron Williams. Bythograea is now composed of six described species, all endemic to hydrothermal vents along the East Pacific Rise and from the Galapagos Rift.