First record of Thalassina kelanang (Crustacea: Decapoda: Thalassinidae) from the Philippines

Frank Paolo Jay  B. Albarico,; Rogelio  Q. Gacutan,; Agatha Maxine  Bedi,

First record of Thalassina kelanang (Crustacea: Decapoda: Thalassinidae) from the Philippines

Frank Paolo Jay B Albarico | Rogelio Q Gacutan | Agatha Maxine Bedi

Abstract:

The first record of mud lobster Thalassina kelanang (Moh and Chong, 2009) from the Philippines was documented in the mangrove forest of Suyac Island, Sagay City, Province of Negros Occidental. The male specimen with a total length of 16.5 cm and 4.5 cm carapace width was found surfacing the mangrove substrate in January 2019. Further survey yielded two more specimens. The specimens had an obtuse rostrum, and a deep median sulcus, which extends posteriorly, nearly the same length but behind the adrostral carinae. The slenderly elongate petasma bears conspicuous spines in the proximal lateral margin. The mounds of T. kelanang with heights ranging from 5 to 15 cm were smaller compared to those of Thalassina anomala. This is the fourth Thalassina species reported from the Philippines.