An unusual new Periclimenes (Crustacea, Decapoda, Palaemonidae) from New Caledonia

A new species of pontoniine shrimp, Periclimenes acanthimerus n. sp., from Loyalty Islands, New Caledonia, is described and illustrated. The species differs from all other species of the genus Periclimenes Costa, 1844 in the unique spinulate tubercles present on the ventral surface of the carpus, merus and ischium of the second pereiopod. The single specimen was collected from the Loyalty Islands, from a depth of 174 m, the host is unknown.