A new species of Mictyris (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura: Mictyridae) recorded from Northern Australia-Kimberley region to Cape York

Mictyris darwinensis is a new species of soldier crab recorded from the Kimberley region of Western Australia to Albany Passage, Cape York in Queensland. Diagnostic features include: its relatively small eyes; smooth carapace; prominent non-recurving antero-lateral spines with microscopically granular ridges to branchial and sub-hepatic regions; chelipeds with long carpus and slender palm; two parallel spines on the ventro-distal marigins of the cheliped merus; narrow front; rectangular and downward-projecting shape of the carapace posterior border; short pointed spine at distal end of dorsal ridge on carpus of walking leg; and long straight dactyl on the 4 th walking leg. The new species has morphological affinities with M. longicarpus Latreille 1806, and to a lesser extent with M. occidentalis Unno 2008. M. darwinensis is endemic to the northen Australian coastal sector from Western Australia to Queensland. A key to the described species of Mictyris is provided.