Cherax veritas n. sp. Figures 35–43. Material examined. Holotype: male (MZB Cru), under rocks, wood, and among roots and in debris along banks of an unnamed creek close to the village of Tomolol in the southeastern part of Misool Island, of Raja Ampat Regency, West Papua, Indonesia. Coll. local people, June 2022. Crayfish were sent to us by KKCrayfish Farm in Jakarta. Allotype: female (MZB Cru), same data as holotype. Paratypes: two males (MZB Cru); three males and one female (ZMB 34710); same data as holotype. Diagnosis. Carapace surface smooth with numerous tiny tubercles posterior to cervical groove on lateral carapace. Eyes large, pigmented. Cornea slightly broader than eyestalk. Rostrum lanceolate in shape, excavated in middle part, margins elevated. Rostral margins with two prominent teeth. Rostral carinae prominent. Postorbital ridges prominent with one acute tubercle at anterior terminus. First legs equal in form, subequal in size, left cheliped largest, about as long as carapace. Prominent uncalcified patch on lateral margin of chelae, white, translucent. Propodal cutting edge with row of five small granules in posterior half and one larger tubercle at mid-length. Cutting edge of dactylus with 5–6 small granules and 1 large tubercle at mid-length. Chelipeds blueish-purple and white with white joints. Fingers with hooked tips. Other walking legs light blue to dark blue. Pleon dark purple with light blue and creamy transverse bands. Lateral pleura becoming slightly lighter. Pink spots on lateral pleura present. Description of male holotype (Figures 35–37). Body and eyes pigmented (Figures 35 and 36). Eyes not reduced, rather large; cornea globular, darkly pigmented, nearly as long as eyestalk. Cornea slightly broader than eyestalk. Body subovate, slightly compressed laterally. Pleon narrower than cephalothorax (width 22.5 mm and 24.7 mm, respectively). Rostrum (Figure 37C) broad in shape, reaching end of first antennular peduncle and about 2.1 times as long as wide (width 7.1 mm at base, length 15.3 mm). Margins slightly elevated continuing in rostral carinae on carapace, almost straight in basal part. Acumen with anteriorly orientated spine. Few scattered hairs present on anterior third of rostral margins. Three well-developed spines on the right side of rostrum and three on the left side. Rostral carinae extending as slight elevations posteriorly on carapace, terminating at half of postorbital ridges. Postorbital ridges well developed, terminating in spiniform tubercle anteriorly, fading at half of occipital carapace length posteriorly. Postorbital ridges about 1/3 of CL. Cervical and branchiocardiac grooves distinct, not setose; four prominent spines present at middle part behind cervical groove on lateral sides of carapace. Carapace (56.2 mm) surface smooth; numerous tiny granules posterior to cervical groove on lateral carapace present. Anterior margin strongly produced; rounded upper margin directed inward. Areola smooth, scarcely pitted; length, 16.2 mm; narrowest width, 9.6 mm. Length of areola 28.9% of total length of carapace (56.2 mm). Scaphocerite, broadest at posterior third, convex in distal part becoming narrower in basal part; thickened lateral margin terminating in corneous spine, slightly overreaching ultimate segment of antennular peduncle. Right scaphocerite 13.9 mm long and 5.2 mm wide. Proximal margins setose. Antennulae and antennae typical for genus. Antennae slightly longer than body. Antennal protopodite smooth, without spine, with row of hairs on inner margin; basicerite with one lateral and one ventral spine. Mouthparts typical for genus. Epistome with subcordiform cephalic lobe anteriorly bearing lanceolate cephalomedian projection constricted at base. Lateral margins of lobe not thickened; each lateral margin with group of 8–10 very small tubercles separated by smooth region; central part smooth, not pitted, excavate. First pereopods (Figure 37A,B) equal in form, subequal in size, left cheliped largest, about as long as carapace; chelae gaping. Left cheliped 58.6 mm long, 11.1 mm high, and 24 mm wide, strongly compressed. Right chelae 49.1 mm long and 9. 3 mm high, 20.4 mm wide, strongly compressed. Right chelae regrown. Fingers shorter than palm (right dactylus 19.9 mm long). Dactylus broad at base (8.0 mm), tapering slightly toward tip. Tip with sharp, corneous, hooked tooth pointing outwards at an angle of 45 ◦. Cutting edge of dactylus with 5–6 small granules and 1 large tubercle at mid-length. Ventral and dorsal surface of movable finger smooth with scattered punctuation. Ventral posterior third of cutting edge with short setae reaching from base to larger granule. Fixed finger smooth, scattered punctuation, triangular, merging gradually into palm, ending in sharp, corneous, hooked tooth, parallel to x-axis of finger. Tips of fingers slightly cross when fingers clasp. Upper surface of palm practically smooth, slightly pitted. Fixed finger broader than dactyl at base (11.7 mm). Scattered, short setae present in posterior ventral part of fixed finger, reaching from palm to about one-third of cutting edge. Propodal cutting edge with row of five small granules in the posterior half and one larger tubercle at mid-length. Outer lateral margin of chelae smooth with white, translucent patch covering about two-thirds of lateral margin; row of 9–10 small mesial propodal granules at dorsolateral margin. Dorsolateral margins slightly elevated after first fifth. Dorsal surface of carpus (16.5 mm) smooth, with slight excavation in middle part and with two well-developed mesial carpal spines. Ventral carpal surface margins slightly elevated, not setose, and with fovea; inner margin with well-developed ventral carpal spine and prominent ventromesial carpal spine oriented at an angle of approximately 45 ◦. Merus (27.6 mm) laterally depressed in basal part; surface smooth; prominent dorsal meral spine present; inner ventrolateral margin smooth; four ventral meral spines present; one at first third, one at mid-length, other at tip of anterior part, and fourth on distal ventrolateral inner margin. Ischium (14.2 mm) smooth with one small spine and one bigger at ventrolateral inner margin. Second pereopods reaching anteriorly to approximately tip of scaphocerite. Propodus (12.7 mm) and dactylus (6.8 mm) slightly longer than fixed finger (6.0 mm), of same height. Few scattered, short setae present on dactyl and fixed finger. Cutting edge of dactyl and propodus with row of tiny, short setae. Carpus (10.2 mm), smooth, slightly pitted. Merus (17.7 mm), smooth, slightly pitted. Ischium (6.9 mm) smooth, slightly pitted. Third pereopods overreaching second pereopods to mid-length of carpus. Fingers shorter than palm. Fourth pereopods reaching distal margin of scaphocerite. Dactylus (4.3 mm) with corneous tip; no setae present. Propodus (12.8 mm) about three times as long as dactylus, somewhat flattened, carrying many stiff setae on lower margin. Carpus (9.1 mm) about twice as long as dactylus. Merus 14.7 mm. Fifth pereopods similar to fourth, slightly shorter. Dorsal surface of pleon smooth, with scattered pits; abdominal segments (1–5) with short setae present on caudal margins of segment. Pleon length 67.5 mm. Telson with posterolateral spines; dense short setae present in posterior third; posterior margins setose. Uropodal protopod with two distal spines on mesial lobe. Exopod of uropod with transverse row of posteriorly directed diminutive spines ending in one more prominent spine, posteriorly directed on outer margin of mesial lobe. Terminal half of exopod with small spines and short hairs, slightly corrugated. Endopod of uropod smooth. Short, scattered hairs present on posterior third of dorsal exopod. Posterolateral spine on outer margin present. Second spine on medial dorsal surface present, directed posteriorly. Description of female allotype (Figure 38). Chela of first pereopods equal, 2.5 times as long as broad (33.0 mm and 13.3 mm, respectively). Mesial margin of palm slightly elevated, forming slender serrated ridge with rows of 10–11 small granular teeth. Cutting edge of dactylus with 8–9 rather small granular teeth, 1 slightly larger. Ventral posterior third of cutting edge with short setae reaching from base to about larger granule. Cutting edge of fixed finger with 6–7 small granules, 1 slightly bigger. Short dense setae present in posterior part of cutting edge. Tips of fingers slightly cross when fingers clasp, not gaping. No soft patch present. Pleon narrower than cephalothorax (width 22.0 mm and 23.1 mm, respectively). Rostrum broad in shape, reaching middle of first antennular peduncle and about 2.3 times as long as wide (width 5.9 mm at base, length 13.6 mm). Margins slightly elevated, continuing in rostral carinae on carapace, almost straight in basal part, distal third, pointing upwards at an angle of approximately 45 ◦. Acumen with anteriorly orientated spine. Few scattered hairs present on anterior third of rostrum. Rostrum with three spines in anterior part on the left side of rostrum and two on the right side. Rostral carinae extending as slight elevations posteriorly on carapace terminating at half of postorbital ridges. Postorbital ridges well developed, terminating in spiniform tubercle anteriorly, fading at half of occipital carapace length, posteriorly. Postorbital ridges about 1/3 of CL. Cervical and branchiocardiac grooves distinct, not setose; three spines present at middle part behind cervical groove on lateral sides of carapace. Carapace surface smooth; numerous tiny granules posterior to cervical groove on lateral carapace present. Anterior margin strongly produced; rounded upper margin directed inward. Areola smooth, pitted, length, 15.9 mm; narrowest width, 9.7 mm. Length of areola 31.5% of total length of carapace (50.5 mm). Same color pattern as in males. Total length 112.7 mm. Size. The variation in size in the studied sample of C. veritas n. sp. is given in Table 2, which also provides comparisons with all other newly described species. Color. The living animals (Figure 35A,B) are colored as follows. Individuals of Cherax veritas n. sp. usually have blue and white chelipeds with white joints or dark purple– pinkish and white chelipeds with white joints (Figure 35A). Fingers dark blue or dark purple getting lighter at middle length, with orange-yellowish hooked tips. Body is dark purple or dark blue with black spots. The blue variety (Figure 35B) has white spots as well on the lateral carapace. Walking legs dark to light blue. Pleon in the blue variety is dark blue with thin light blue transverse bands. Lateral pleura becoming slightly lighter blue. In the purple variety (not shown), the pleon is dark purple with some pinkish spots on the lateral pleura. Lateral pleura also becoming lighter purple. Females: same color as males. Females do not show the creamy white soft patch. Molecular phylogenetic results. Cherax veritas n. sp. forms a highly supported, distinct clade that is the sister species to C. mosessalossa with moderate support; both species are, in turn, sister to C. warsamsonicus (Figure 5). The clade comprising these three species is highly supported and very distinct; it forms a highly supported clade with C. boesemani, C. gherardii, C. phing, C. pulcher, C. pulverulentus, C. wagenknechtae, and C. woworae. The relationship of these species to the clade containing Cherax veritas n. sp. is unresolved. Cherax veritas n. sp. is well isolated from C. mosessalossa and C. warsamsonicus, with a sequence divergence (p-distance, 16S) of 1.9–2.0% and 2.2–2.6%, respectively, supporting the morphology-based description of C. veritas as a new species. Systematic position. C. veritas n. sp. belongs to the northern species group lineage, now consisting of 35 species (please see the respective section for C. nigli n. sp. below for details). Systematic remarks. In comparison to all species of the northern group, C. veritas n. sp. is morphologically and genetically most similar to C. mosessalossa and C. warsamsonicus. Cherax veritas n. sp. can be easily distinguished from both species by the coloration and pattern of live individuals (Figure 39), by the shape of the chelae (Figure 40), by the shape of the rostrum (Figure 41), and by using DNA barcoding (Figure 5). Chelae comparison (Figure 40A–F). In C. veritas n. sp., the chelae are 2.9 times longer than the movable finger, while in C. warsamsonicus the chelae are 2.5 times longer than the movable finger and in C. mosessalossa, 2.3 times longer. In C. veritas n. sp., the dorsolateral margins are well developed, while weaker developed in C. mosessalossa and C. w arsamsonicus. In C. veritas n. sp., the chelae are, on average, 2.4 times as long as broad, while 2.1 times as long as broad in C. mosessalossa and 2.3 times as long as broad in C. warsamsonicus. Rostrum comparison (Figure 41A–C). The rostrum of Cherax veritas n. sp. is well developed, rather straight and triangular shaped, on average 2.4 times as long as broad. The rostrum of C. mosessalossa is, on average, 2.1 times as long as broad, while the rostrum of C. warsamsonicus is clearly bent outwards at the middle part and 2.3 times as long as broad. C. veritas n. sp. has four prominent spines present at middle part behind cervical groove on lateral sides of carapace, while C. mosessalossa has three prominent corneous spines and two smaller spines present, and C. warsamsonicus has one prominent corneous spine and three tubercles present. C. veritas n. sp. is found close to Tomolol Village in the southeastern part of Misool Island of Raja Ampat Regency, while C. mosessalossa and C. warsamsonicus are found in the Sorong Regency, Kepala Burung. Ecology. One of the creeks harboring these crayfish is clear, shallow (20–80 cm), with a moderate flow (Figure 42). The temperature is around 23–25 ◦ C. In most parts, no water plants are present. The substrate of the creek is soil mostly covered with silt and detritus. Crayfish hide in short burrows in the riverbank, under larger rocks or wood, or in detritus that is present in all the parts of the creek. The creek is surrounded by forest. To improve the knowledge of the distribution of this species, more field surveys will be necessary. Distribution (Figure 43). Cherax veritas n. sp. has so far only been found in creeks close to the village of Tomolol in the southeastern part of Misool Island of Raja Ampat Regency. It is likely that it occurs at least throughout the entire catchment. Common name. As the common name for this crayfish, we propose Veritas Amethyst Crayfish, as it is already available under this name in the pet trade. Etymology. Cherax veritas n. sp. is named after the roman goddess of truth, “Veritas”. With this name, we want to honor Julian Paul Assange, an Australian editor and activist who founded Wikileaks. His aim was to make illegal and unethical activities of governments and institutions accessible to the public. He inspired the first author for a determined fight for a better and fair future for all of us. It is proposed as a noun in apposition.

Published as part of Lukhaup, Christian, Eprilurahman, Rury & Rintelen, Thomas von, 2025, Seven New Species of Crayfish of the Genus Cherax (Crustacea, Decapoda, Parastacidae) from Western New Guinea, Indonesia, pp. 1-55 in arthropoda 3 (2) on pages 45-53, DOI: 10.3390/arthropoda3020010, http://zenodo.org/record/18484894