Two species of Talitridae (Crustacea, Amphipoda) from Kenya

Two species of the family Talitridae Rafinesque, 1815 are described from English Point Beach, Mkomani, Mombasa, Kenya. One new species Floresorchestia mkomani Bichang'a & Hou, sp. nov. is reported and Gazia gazi Lowry & Springthorpe, 2019 is redescribed. The new species is characterized by the five dentate lacinia mobilis on the left mandible in male and only four in female, pereopod IV dactylus thickened proximally and having a small protrusion towards the mid of its posterior margin, a sexually dimorphic pereopod VII, and the presence of vertical slits just above the ventral margin of epimera II and III. Detailed morphological characteristics, as well as comparisons with closely related species are provided. To ascertain the species delimitation, molecular evidence is availed in this paper. Type material is deposited in National Museums of Kenya (NMK).

Automated summary

Two species of the family Talitridae Rafinesque, 1815 were described from English Point Beach, Mkomani, Mombasa, Kenya. One new species, Floresorchestia mkomani Bichang'a & Hou, sp. nov., was reported with distinct morphological characteristics, alongside a redescribed species Gazia gazi Lowry & Springthorpe, 2019. Molecular evidence was provided for species delimitation, with type material deposited in the National Museums of Kenya (NMK).