A new species of Batella (Crustacea, Decapoda, Alpheidae) from New Caledonia

A new species of alpheid shrimp, Batella praecipua n. sp., from 400-450 m deep off New Caledonia is described and illustrated. The new species can be readily distinguished from the other species of Batella by its non-tridentate rostrum and with non-biunguiculate, serrate unguis on the dactyl of the ambulatory pereiopods. This new discovery presents the deepest record for the genus.