A second species of the genus Balssia Kemp, 1922 (Crustacea, Decapoda, Pontoniinae)

A new species of commensal pontoniine shrimp, Balssia noeli n.sp., from the vicinity of Banyuls, western Mediterranean, is described and illustrated. The new species is readily distinguished from B. gasti (Balss, 1921), the only other species of the genus, by its lack of strong sculpturing on the carapace and abdomen. The species is associated with the gorgonians Corallium, Eunicella, Gerardia and Paramuricella.