A NEW SPECIES OF FRESHWATER CRAB, SUNDATHELPHUSA ROBERTI (BRACHYURA, GECARCINUCIDAE) FROM HIGHLANDS IN BATANGAS, LUZON, PHILIPPINES

Abstract

A new species of freshwater crab belonging to a group of species morphologically similar to Sundathelphusa philippina (Von Martens, 1868) is described from highlands in the province of Batangas, southern Luzon, Philippines. Sundathelphusa roberti new species, however, differs from members of this group by the position and strength of the epigastric and postorbital cristae, form of the posterior epistomal margin, shape of the third maxillipeds, and structure of the male first gonopod. The new taxon is the 35th species of Sundathelphusa known from the Philippines.