Exploring the diversity of the deep-sea shrimp in the ‘Glyphocrangon spinicauda A. Milne-Edwards, 1881’ species group (Decapoda, Crustacea, Glyphocrangonidae) off Taiwan and Dongsha

Abstract

Abstract Examination of the material collected by Taiwan deep-sea cruises reveals the presence of five species of the deep-sea shrimp genus Glyphocrangon A. Milne-Edwards, 1881, representing new records for Taiwan and Dongsha (Pratas Island; under jurisdiction of Taiwan). These species are Glyphocrangon albatrossae, G. caecescens, G. indonesiensis, G. major and G. proxima, all of which belong to the informal Glyphocrangon spinicauda species group. These findings bring the total number of species in the G. spinicauda species group reported in the waters around Taiwan and Dongsha to 11. The complex ornamentation of the body surface of each species is shown using micro-computed tomography. Diagnosis and illustrations showing diagnostic characters and living colouration are provided for most, if not all, of these species. Glyphocrangon grandis is placed under the synonymy of G. major based on morphology, because it was found that diagnostic characters proposed to distinguish these two taxa are variable within the current series of specimens. The biogeographical distributions of these species are presented, and a key is provided to help identify the 11 known species in this region.