Abstract The identity of Philyra sexangula Alcock, 1896 (Leucosiidae), an inhabitant of mangrove habitats, is clarified. The redescription of the lectotype male and examination of fresh material collected from Pichavaram mangrove forest located in Tamil Nadu State of India revealed that P. sexangula shows significant morphological differences from the generic characters of Philyra sensu stricto. Therefore, a new genus Bellayra gen. nov., is established herewith for the species. In addition, one new species, Bellayra persicum gen. nov., sp. nov., is described based on a syntype male of P. sexangula collected from the Persian Gulf. Furthermore, Philyra taekoae Takeda, 1972 and Philyra nishihirai Takeda and Nakasone, 1991, described from Japan are also transferred to Bellayra gen. nov.

Abstract Five species of pilumnid crabs assigned to Eurycarcinus A. Milne-Edwards, 1867, Heteropanope Stimpson, 1858, and Pilumnopeus A. Milne-Edwards, 1867, have been reported from India: E. orientalis A. Milne-Edwards, 1867, E. bengalensis Deb, 1999, H. glabra Stimpson, 1858, H. neolaevis Deb, 1995, and P. convexus (Maccagno, 1936). The identity of E. bengalensis is confused and the species had been provisionally transferred to Heteropanope. Examination of the types however, confirms the affinities of the species with Eurycarcinus and consequently extends the range of the genus to the eastern Indian Ocean. A re-examination of the types of H. neolaevis show that it is a junior subjective synonym of Aniptumnus quadridentus (De Man, 1895), and is the first record of the genus from India. Eurycarcinus integrifrons De Man, 1879, is also formally recorded for the first time from India.

Abstract A new genus and two new species of potamiscine freshwater crabs (Potamidae) are described from the Abor Hills in the Upper Siang District of Arunachal Pradesh State, northeastern India. Abormon gen. nov. is morphologically most similar to Pararanguna Dai and Chen, 1985, from Yunnan Province in China but can be differentiated by the setose dorsal surface and the medially concave posterolateral margins of the carapace, the concave lateral margins of the male telson, the relatively low dorsal flap on the terminal segment of the male first gonopod, and the anteriorly open and transversely ovate vulvae. Abormon capillosum sp. nov. can be distinguished from A. praecalvum sp. nov. by characters of the carapace, pereiopods, male pleonal somite 6, male gonopods, and vulvae.

Abstract Trawls from the Bay of Bengal obtained material of a new species of the goneplacid crab, Carcinoplax mistio, the sixth species of the genus known from India. The new species superficially resembles C. purpurea Rathbun, 1914, and C. sinica Chen, 1984, from the western Pacific. Records of C. sinica from the Persian Gulf are also here referred to the new species. Carcinoplax mistio n. sp. differs from its closest congeners mainly in the form of the carapace, anterolateral armature, proportions of the ambulatory legs and structure of the male pleon.