Two new species of the palaemonid genus Periclimenaeus are described and illustrated from Korea; additionally, a third species is recorded from Korea for the first time. Periclimenaeus karantina sp. nov. was obtained from ascidian hosts. The species has a denticulate dactylus on both second pereiopods, considered to be typical for ascidian associates. It can be separated from related species by the combination of the following characters: the carpocerite overreaching the anterior margin of the scaphocerite; the distolateral tooth of the scaphocerite exceeding the anterior margin of the lamella; the dactylus of the minor chela exceeding the fixed finger; and the ambulatory dactyli furnished with a minute proximal tooth. Periclimenaeus apomonosi sp. nov. was obtained from sponge hosts, and belongs to the P. robustus species-group, on account of the developed anterior median lobe on the tergite of the first abdominal somite. It can be distinguished from related species by the combination of the presence of a supraorbital tooth; the presence of a pointed process on the inferior orbital angle; the distolateral tooth of the scaphocerite terminating level with the anterior margin of the lamella; the antennal carpocerite reaching about 0.6 of the scaphocerite; the first and second chelae with non-serrated cutting edges; the ischium and merus of the second pereiopods harbouring tubercles on the ventral margin; and the ambulatory dactyli with a distal accessory tooth and the corpus furnished with denticles, ventrally. The sponge associated species, Periclimenaeus djboutensis, relatively widespread across the Indo-Pacific, is reported for the first time from Korea in Geomundo Island. Asides from a morphological description of all three species, molecular information of two genetic markers (16S + COI) is provided to aid in future phylogenetic reconstructions of the genus.
Keywords: Caridea; Indo-West Pacific; Jejudo Island; Korea; Periclimenaeus spp. nov..