New species and records of anthuridean isopod crustaceans from the Indian Ocean

Twenty four new species of anthuridean isopods are described from a variety of localities in the Indian Ocean, including the granitic Seychelles, Alda bra Atoll, Phuket Island, the Persian Gulf and Zanzibar Island: Family Anth eluridae, Anthomuda quadrilineata; Family Anthuridae, Amakusanthura cosmole do, Apanthuroides aldabrae, Apanthuroides calculosa, Eisothistos andamanens is, Eisothistos corallina, Heptanthura phuket, Malacanthura arabica, Mesant hura quadrata, Panathura indica, Pendanthura picardi, Pendanthura seminigra , Pendanthura siamensis, Quantanthura andamanensis; Family Hyssuridae, Neoh yssura gladia, Xenanthura victoriae; Family Paranthuridae, Accalathura hast ata, Accalathura phuketensis, Accalathura wardae, Leptanthura calcis, Lepta nthura maheensis, Paranthura algophila, Paranthura seychellensis, Paranthur a urodentata. Of the 15 genera represented, all except two were previously known from the Indian Ocean; Heptanthura and Pendanthura are recorded from the Indian Ocean for the first time. Most of the genera have wide distribut ions through the Indian, Atlantic and Pacific oceans, while the species ten d to be endemic to limited island or coastal regions. The 15 genera are dia gnosed and keys or comparative tables to the Indian Ocean species are provi ded.