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Taxonomical studies on the Chirostylid and Galatheid lobsters of India are dealt with by Alcock (1894 and 1901),
Alcock and Anderson (1895), Doflein and Balss (1913a), George and Rao (1966), Rao (1974), Tirmizi and Javed
(1993), Thirumilu, (2011), Vaitheeswaran and Venkataramani , 2012; Vaitheeswaran, 2014; 2015). A total of 53
species (11 from Family: Chirostylidae and 41 from Family Munididae) are recorded, mostly from the deeper waters
of Lakshadweep Sea, Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea, while a single galatheid lobster
Munidopsis
regia
Alcock and Anderson, 1894 and
Munida curvipes
has been reported for the first time in Indian coast at Gulf of
Mannar.
While examining the crustacean catches landed by larger trawlers, which operated in deeper waters off Thoothukudi,
one specimen of squat lobsters was obtained. On closer examination, it was identified as
Munida semoni
Ortmann,
1894 and it was new to Thoothukudi waters. Thus, the total number of squat lobsters from India now rose to 53. The
taxonomic and systematic position of the present species reported here is followed the new classification given by
Baba (2005) for the Superfamily Galatheoidea. The present record from Thoothukudi coast of Gulf of Mannar is the
first specimen from the coast of main land.
Superfamily: Galatheoidea Samouelle, 1819
Family: Galatheidae Samouelle Ahyong, 2010
Genus:
Munida
Whiteaves, 1874
Munida semoni
Ortmann, 1894
Borradaile, 1900
Barnard, 1950
Kensley, 1981a
Macpherson and Baba, 1993
Macpherson, 1994; 1996a; 1999a; 2004
Baba, 2005
Figure 1 Location of Thoothukudi coast of Gulf of Mannar, Southeast coast of India
