A new species of Neocirolana Hale, 1925 (Crustacea: Isopoda: Cirolanidae) collected during the Royal Society Expedition to Aldabra 1967–69, western Indian Ocean

A new species of isopod, Neocirolana taylori, has been discovered at Aldabra Atoll, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Seychelles. This marks the first record of its genus in the tropical Western Indian Ocean and elevates the known diversity of the genus to eleven species. The species is distinguished by its ovate body shape with a strongly vaulted dorsum, absence of dorsal nodules and pleotelson carinae, prominent coxae on pereonites 5 to 7, and robust pereopods. Collected from intertidal and shallow subtidal reef crest habitats during the Royal Society Expedition (1967–69), this discovery contributes to our understanding of biodiversity in this unique marine ecosystem.

Bruce, N. L., & Hughes, L. (2020). A new species of Neocirolana Hale, 1925 (Crustacea: Isopoda: Cirolanidae) collected during the Royal Society Expedition to Aldabra 1967–69, western Indian Ocean. Journal of Natural History, 54(21-22), 1395–1407. https://doi.org/10.1080/00222933.2020.1797202