During a 2009 research cruise of the RV Soyomaru of the National Research Institute of Fisheries Science, Fisheries Research Agency, the bathyal to abyssal slope on the Iwaki Seamount, located nearly to the Japan Trench, east of Fukushima Prefecture, was sampled using a small beam trawl (� benthos net). This data presents the first records of the marine fauna of this seamount. Among the small collection of decapod crustaceans, two specimens of galatheid lobsters were found. Detailed examination has revealed that these specimens represent an undescribed species of Munida Leach, 1820. In this study, this new species is described and illustrated under the name M. ampliantennulata. It appears closest to M. magniantennulata Baba and Turkay, 1992 known from the Lau Basin and off Queensland, Australia, and M. subcaeca Bouvier, 1922 from the Atlantic, both known from depths greater than 1000 m. Differentiating characters between the new species and the two relatives are discussed. The type ...

A new deep-sea galatheid, Munidopsis dentifalx, is described on the basis of two specimens obtained at depths of 2,120-2,323 m by the PANGLAO 2005 expedition to the Philippines. The new species closely resembles M. villosa Faxon, 1893, known from the Gulf of Panama and off Chile, but differs from that species in lacking antennal and epigastric spines on the carapace and a median spine on the abdominal segment 5, and in the spination of the P2-4 dactyli. The last mentioned character is unusual in the genus Munidopsis, the ultimate of the ventral marginal spines being far distant from the penultimate.

Squat lobsters from Madagascar, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea, Fiji, eastern Australia and French Polynesia belonging to the Agononida incerta (Henderson, 1888) species complex are described as four new species: A. madagascerta, A. polycerta, A. tasmancerta and A. vanuacerta. This brings to ten the number of species in this complex. All species are morphologically distinguishable only on the basis of the shape of the anterolateral margin of the telson and setation of the dactyli of pereopods 2-4. The morphological delineation of nine of the species and their taxonomic status are robustly supported by phylogenetic analysis of the partial 16S rDNA gene and the partial mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 genes, and in some cases by colour. A phylogenetic analysis of the nine species for which molecular data are available grouped the species in two clades, one of four species with facial spines on the upper surface of pereopod 4 and the other of five species lacking facial spines.

Taxonomic and ecological interest in squat lobsters has grown considerably over the last two decades. A checklist of the 870 current valid species of squat lobsters of the world (families Chirostylidae, Galatheidae and Kiwaidae) is presented. The compilation includes the complete taxonomic synonymy and geographical distribution of each species plus type information (type locality, repository and registration number). The numbers of described species in the world’s major ocean basins are summarised.

A phylogenetic analysis including representatives from 44 extinct and 27 extant families of lobsters (Polychelida, Achelata, Glypheidea, and Astacidea), resulted in the recognition of one new superfamily, Glaessnericarioidea, and three new families, Glaessnericariidae, Neoglypheidae, and Litogastroidae. Two families, Protastacidae and Stenochiridae, are elevated to superfamily status. A new classification of Glypheidea is proposed and currently known genera are rearranged based upon the phylogenetic analysis. Palaeopalaemonida is given a separate infraordinal status. Diagnoses for all infraorders, superfamilies, and families are provided.