PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON 111(4):908-911. 1998. A new species of mud shrimp, Upogebia toralae, from Veracruz, Mexico (Decapoda: Thalassinidea: Upogebiidae) Austin B. Williams and Jorge L. Hernandez-Aguilera (ABW) National Marine Fisheries Service Systematics Laboratory, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. 20560, U.S.A.; (JLH-A) Facultad de Ciencias e Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnologia, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, A. P. 70306, Mexico, 04510. D.F. Abstract. — Upogebia toralae, a new species of mud shrimp from Veracruz, Mexico is described and illustrated. The unique female holotype was collected intertidally in the Port of Veracruz which is strongly impacted by human ac-tivity. The species shares with many members of the genus from the western hemisphere a strongly developed proximal mesioventral spine on the merus of the second pereopod. The species stands alone, however, with respect to other characters. The triangular rostrum has no ventral spines, the anterior gastric region bears many anteriorly setose spines that are more or less transversely elongate and scalelike, and the palms of the chelae have a dorsal ridge that bears three erect and somewhat hooked spines on its proximal end. Infaunal crustaceans collected from the State of Veracruz, Mexico in the south-western Gulf of Mexico are known to in-clude a wide variety of decapod crustacean species (Hernandez-Aguilera et al. 1996). This species richness has been attributed to the location of Veracruz in the tropical zone, with wet weather and abundant rains, where temperature varies from 10° to about 35°C (Soto & Garcia 1989). Nearshore hab-itats include a great variety of biotopes such as sandy beaches, estuaries, extensive man-grove swamps, marshes, and nearly 28 cor-al reefs. A mud shrimp, Upogebia toralae, new species, has been collected in intertidal waters of this environment in an area of the Port of Veracruz that is strongly impacted by human activity, including oil spills and industrial pollution, urban effluents, and tourism. Upogebia toralae, new species Fig. 1 Material examined. — Mexico: USNM 285522, 1 $ (holotype), S of Puerto de Ve-racruz, Ver Mexico, 19° 11 '43", 96°07'36"W, intertidal, 8 May 1997, col. R. E. Toral-Al-mazan and J. L. Hemandez-Aguilera. Diagnosis. — Projections to either side of rostrum each ending in a spine; single spine on postocular margin; anterior gastric re-gion bearing many anteriorly setose spines more or less transversely elongate and scalelike. Abdominal sternites unarmed. Telson subrectangular. Merus of cheliped bearing subdistal dorsal spine and row of 5 spines on ventral margin; carpus with strong mesiodistal dorsal spine and 2 mod-erate spines on mesiodistal margin; palms of chelae bearing 3 erect and somewhat hooked spines on proximal end of dorsal ridge. Merus of pereopod 2 with proximal mesioventral spine and 1 subdistal dorsal spine; carpus with 1 subdistal dorsal spine and 1 disto ventral spine. Merus of pereopod 3 with 1 distodorsal spine and row of 3 spines on ventral margin. Merus of pereo-pod 4 spineless. Description. — Rostrum triangular, hori-zontal in lateral view but with slightly downtumed tip exceeding eyestalks by in-
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