The genus Elasmopus (Crustacea: Amphipoda: Melitidae) from Mauritius (Indian Ocean) with description of five new species

Abstract

Nine species of the genus Elasmopus collected in the intertidal and shallow-subtidal zone of Mauritius are described and figured. These comprise five species, E. palu n.sp., E. pseudinteger n.sp., E. souillacensis n.sp., E. steelei n.sp., E. puteus n.sp., which are new to science, two species, E. menurte J.L. Barnard and E. spinimanus Walker that are recorded from Mauritius for the first time and two species, E. spinidactylus Chevreux and E. pectenicrus (Bate) that were previously known from Mauritius. The genus Elasmopus is one of the most diverse genera of amphipods known from the island. A key to the Elasmopus species of Mauritius is provided.