Two atyid shrimps (Decapoda, Caridea, Atyidae) from Qichong National Nature Reserve, Guangxi, China, with the description of a new species

Dedicated surveys of atyid shrimps in Qichong National Nature Reserve, Guangxi, China, led to the discovery of two species: Neocaridina palmata (Shen, 1948), and a new species, Caridina grammosticta Hou, Chen & Guo, sp. nov. This new species is also distributed in streams near Nanbianshan Town, Lingui District, Guilin City, and Zhongliang Township, Jinxiu County, Laibin City, Guangxi. Phylogenetic analyses and genetic distances support the status of C. grammosticta sp. nov. as a distinct species, closely related to C. stellata Guo et al., 2022.

Morphologically, C. grammosticta sp. nov. is characterized by the wider endopod of the male first pleopod, the slender carpus of the first pereiopod, and the slender chela of the second pereiopod. Living individuals of this new species display a unique coloration pattern, with seven reddish-brown transverse stripes and numerous reddish-brown spots on the body, making them easily recognizable in the field. Prior to its formal taxonomic description in the present study, this species has already been widely circulated in the ornamental market.

Inconsistent commercial nomenclature, the lack of baseline data on population distribution and stock resources, as well as overcollection within its single distribution area, seriously threaten the survival of wild populations.