Abstract

A new species of the alpheid shrimp genus Automate de Man, 1888, A. awaji, is described on the basis of an ovigerous female holotype and three paratype specimens (sex not determined) from Awaji Island, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan. The specimens were collected from soft sediments on a shallow subtidal flat (depth 4–8 m) using an airlift suction sampler. The new species is referred to the A. evermanni Rathbun, 1901 species group, in which seven species are currently included, from various parts of the world. Automate awaji n. sp. is characterized by the combination of the following characters: eye with cornea relatively small, in lateral and subdistal position on eyestalk; antennal scaphocerite with distolateral spine not exceeding rounded distal blade; ultimate article of maxilliped 3 with longitudinal row of setae on dorsolateral surface; cheliped ischia without spiniform setae on dorsal and ventral margins; major chela of type I smooth, not rugose or tuberculate on dorsal and ventral margins, fingers not gaping; carpus of pereopod 2 with proximal-most article less than half-length of second article; propodus of pereopod 5 with grooming apparatus consisting of closely spaced transverse rows of stiff setae. It is the fourth representative of the genus Automate reported from Japan. A brief overview on Japanese species of Automate is also given.