New records of Pagurixus Melin, 1939 (Crustacea: Decapoda: Paguridae) from the Ryukyu Islands, southwestern Japan, with description of a new species.

Seven hermit crab species of the pagurid genus Pagurixus Melin, 1939 are reported on the basis of material recently collected from the northern and central islands of the Ryukyu Islands, southwestern Japan. Four species are new to the hermit crab fauna of the Ryukyu Islands: P. acanthocarpus Komai & Okuno, 2009; P. fasciatus Komai & Myorin, 2005; P. formosus Komai, 2010; and P. tweediei (Forest, 1956). One species is described as new to science: P vicinus sp. nov. is closely similar to P. fasciatus in both morphology and coloration, but distinguished by the armature on the left cheliped and right second pereopod. Paguruxus carininanus Komai & Osawa, 2006 and P. pseliophorus Komai & Osawa, 2006, both previously known from the Ryukyu Islands, are here reported from new localities.