Biological Results of the University of Miami Deep-sea Expeditions. 113.

A Review of the Bopyrid Isopod Genus Munidion Hansen, 1897, Parasitic on Galatheid Crabs in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans

Descriptions of three new species (including one subspecies raised to specific rank) and redescriptions of the four other species of the parasitic isopod genus Munidion Hansen 1897 are presented. The genus, whose validity had been questioned, is shown to be valid and is redefined. The seven species (all parasitic on galatheid crabs) now in the genus include Munidion princeps Hansen (host: Munida refulgens Faxon, Pacific coast of Colombia); Munidion pleuroncodis, n. sp. (host: Pleuroncodes planipes Stimpson, coast of California and Baja California); Munidion parvum Richardson (host: Munida quadrispina Benedict, coast of Washington and British Columbia); Munidion cubense Bourdon (new status; originally = M. parvum cubensis) (hosts: Munida stimpsoni A. Milne Edwards, Cuba; and M. flinti Benedict, near Venezuela); Munidion irritans Boone (host: Munida irrasa A. Milne Edwards, Atlantic coast of Florida and near British Honduras); Munidion longipedis, n. sp. (hosts: Munida longipes A. Milne Edwards, Atlantic and Gulf coasts of Florida and near Isla de Providencia, and M. schroederi Chace, Cuba); and Munidion laterale Richardson (hosts: unidentified galatheid, Dumalag Island, Philippines, and Munida scabra Henderson, Java Sea). Some taxonomic problems of the genus and the distribution of its species are discussed. Keys to all species, based on mature females, are presented.