Australian Amphipoda: Ampeliscidae

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

Ampelisca ballina Lowry & Poore

Ampelisca ballina Lowry & Poore, 1985: 266, figs 5-6.

Type material. HOLOTYPE: male, 14.4 mm, AM P22666. PARATYPE: 1 specimen, AM P34151.

Type locality. East of Malabar, New South Wales (33º 58'S 151º 33'E), 187 m depth.

Description. Based on Lowry & Poore, 1985: 266, figs 5-6. Head longer than deep; rostrum absent; abutting antenna 1; lateral cephalic lobe absent; anteroventral margin strongly concave; eyes present, two pairs with cuticular lenses. Antenna 1 short, subequal to or slightly 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 2. Gnathopod 1 simple; propodus palm absent; coxa anterior margin broadly convex, anteroventral corner not 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 broadly rounded, ventral margin densely setose, free anterior margin lacking setae near junction with ischium; ischium longer than merus; merus anterior lobe produced along anterior margin, merus posterior lobe absent; carpus anterior lobe absent, short (about as long as broad); propodus subrectangular; dactylus broad at base, tapering distally.

Pleon. Epimeron 3 posteroventral margin straight, straight, 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 lanceolate. Telson longer than broad, deeply cleft or moderately cleft, distal margin rounded or acute, with mid-dorsal robust setae, inner margin without robust setae along inner margin, distal margin without apical or subapical setae.

Habitat. Marine; soft bottom.

Depth zone. Continental shelf (30 to 200 m).

Distribution. New South Wales: east of Malabar; south-east of Broken Bay (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'.