Ankerius grusocurare, a new species of Aphanodactylidae (Decapoda, Brachyura) from Iriomote Island, Ryukyu Islands, Japan

Researchers have identified and described Ankerius grusocurare, a new species of the Aphanodactylidae family, found on Iriomote Island in Japan's Ryukyu Islands. This discovery expands the known diversity of the genus, which previously included only one recognized species, A. aenigmaticus. The new species is distinguished by its uniquely shaped lateral corner of the front (supraorbital tooth), a proportionally wider carapace, and fewer teeth along the upper flexor margin of the ambulatory meri. This brings the total number of aphanodactylid taxa to 13, contributing significantly to our understanding of crustacean biodiversity in this region.

Naruse, T., & Uyeno, D. (2017). Ankerius grusocurare, a new species of Aphanodactylidae (Decapoda, Brachyura) from Iriomote Island, Ryukyu Islands, Japan. Crustaceana, 90(7-10), 1055–1060. https://doi.org/10.1163/15685403-00003668