A new species of the genus Linuparus White, from the South China Sea (Crustacea Decapoda)

The palinurid genus Linuparus White, 1847, has been represented by a single recent species, Linuparus trigonus (Von Siebold). The trawl survey of the northern shelf region of the South China Sea at present being carried out by the R.V. "Cape St. Mary" of the Fisheries Research Station, Hong Kong, has produced numerous examples of this species. Amongst old collections of Crustacea at the Fisheries Research Station, a single example of a specimen of Linuparus was found early in 1963, which showed numerous differences from the specimens obtained on the trawl survey. This specimen lacked data and was badly damaged, making a full comparison with Linuparus trigonus impossible. In January 1964, a second specimen was obtained which confirmed the constancy of the differences previously noted when compared with specimens of Linuparus trigonus of the same size and sex. The second specimen, which is undamaged is considered as the holotype of the new species and the original damaged example as the paratype, the former being deposited at the British Museum (Natural History), London and the latter at the Rijksmuseum van Natuurlijke Historie, Leiden. Linuparus sordidus sp. nov. (text-fig. 1A; pl. 1, pl. 2 fig. A, C) Material examined. — South China Sea, 19° 40.0'Ν 113°41.0'E to 19° 39.5' Ν 113° 36.0' Ε, 182-172 fms, coarse sand; Granton Trawl; 5 January 1964; "Cape St. Mary", Cr. 1/64, Stn. 16, Trawl Τ/125. — 1 ♀ (holotype), carapace length 70.5 mm, intact. British Museum (Nat. Hist), Reg. no. 1965.V.21.1. Origin uncertain, presumably northern part of South China Sea. — 1 ♂ (paratype), carapace length 68.8 mm, badly damaged and with the mouthparts and left branchiostegite removed. Rijksmuseum van Natuurlijke Historie, Reg. No. Crust. D.21213. Description of holotype ♀. — A small Linuparus that shows all the char-