Australian Amphipoda: Ampeliscidae

J.K. Lowry, P.B Berents & R.T. Springthorpe

Ampelisca australis Haswell

Ampelisca australis Haswell, 1879: 257, pl. 9, fig. 1. --1882:235. --1885, 97: pl 12, figs 11-16, pl. 13, fig. 4. --Della Valle, 1893: 471. --Stebbing, 1906: 104. --Stebbing, 1910: 634. --Sheard, 1937: 19. --Lowry & Poore, 1985: 262, figs 3-4.

not Ampelisca australis. --Schellenberg, 1938: 6, fig. 2. J.L. Barnard, 1965: 463 (table).

Type material. Possible SYNTYPE: AM P3431 (according to Lowry & Poore, 1985).

Type locality. Port Jackson, New South Wales (33º 51'S 151º 16'E).

Description. Based on Lowry & Poore, 1985: 262, figs 3-4. Head longer than deep; rostrum absent; abutting antenna 1; lateral cephalic lobe absent; anteroventral margin oblique; eyes present, two pairs with cuticular lenses. Antenna 1 short, much shorter than peduncle of antenna 2; peduncular article 2 short (less than 1.5 x length of article 1). Mandible palp article 2 tapering distally.

Peraeon. Coxae 1 to 3 with small posteroventral hooks on coxae 1 to 3. Gnathopod 1 simple; propodus palm absent; coxa anterior margin slightly concave, anteroventral corner produced. Peraeopods 5 and 6 carpus long, about 3 x as long as broad, slightly or not produced along posterior margin of propodus. Peraeopod 7 basis expanded posteriorly, posterior margin oblique, ventral margin densely setose, free anterior margin lacking setae near junction with ischium; ischium longer than merus; merus anterior lobe slightly produced along anterior margin of carpus, merus posterior lobe absent; carpus anterior lobe slightly produced, short (about as long as broad); propodus inflated; dactylus broad at base, tapering distally.

Pleon. Epimeron 3 posteroventral margin oblique, convex, corner with notch and cusp, corner acute. Urosomite 1 without carina. Uropod 2 inner ramus with two dorsal rows of robust setae; outer ramus with a large subterminal robust seta. Uropod 3 rami, inner margins smooth proximally; outer ramus broadly lanceolate. Telson longer than broad, moderately cleft, distal margin subacute, with mid-dorsal slender setae, inner margin without robust setae along inner margin, distal margin with subapical setae.

Habitat. Marine; soft bottom.

Depth zone. Littoral (0 to 30 m) to Continental shelf (30 to 200 m) to Continental slope (200 to 1000 m).

Distribution. New South Wales: Port Jackson (Haswell, 1879); east of Long Reef; east of Bondi; east of Malabar; east of Wollongong; Moona Moona Creek, Jervis Bay (Lowry & Poore, 1985). Victoria: Western Port; Port Phillip Bay; throughout Bass Strait (Lowry & Poore, 1985).

Geographic areas. South-eastern Australia.

Cite this publication as: 'J.K. Lowry, P.B Berents & R.T. Springthorpe (2000 onwards). Australian Amphipoda: Ampeliscidae. Version: 21st September 2000. https://crustacea.net'.