Australian Amphipoda: Ampeliscidae

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

Byblis gerara Lowry & Poore

Byblis gerara Lowry & Poore, 1985: 287, figs 24-25.

Type material. HOLOTYPE: female, 14.0 mm, AM P34144. PARATYPES: 3 specimens, AM P34145; 4 specimens, AM P34146; 1 specimen, AM P34147.

Type locality. East of Broken Bay, New South Wales (33º 31-33'S 152º 08-01'E), 910 m depth.

Description. Based on Lowry & Poore, 1985: 287, figs 24-25. Head longer than deep; rostrum present, acute; abutting antenna 1; lateral cephalic lobe absent; anteroventral margin rounded; eyes absent. 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 slender.

Peraeon. Coxae 1 to 3 with small posteroventral hooks on coxae 1 to 3. Gnathopod 1 subchelate; propodus palm slightly acute; coxa anterior margin slightly concave, anteroventral corner not produced. Peraeopods 5 and 6 carpus very long, about 4 to 5 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 shorter than merus; merus anterior lobe absent, merus posterior lobe absent; carpus anterior lobe absent, inflated, about 1.5 x as long as broad; propodus linear; dactylus spine-like.

Pleon. Epimeron 3 posteroventral margin oblique, straight, corner without notch or cusp, corner acute or subquadrate. Urosomite 1 without carina. Uropod 2 inner ramus with two dorsal rows of robust setae; outer ramus without large subterminal robust setae. Uropod 3 rami, inner margins smooth proximally; outer ramus lanceolate. Telson longer than broad, deeply cleft, distal margin subacute, with mid-dorsal robust setae, inner margin without robust setae along inner margin, distal margin with apical setae.

Habitat. Marine; Globigerina ooze bottom.

Depth zone. Continental slope (200 to 1000 m) to Lower bathyal (1000 m to 2000 m).

Remarks. This taxon appears to confound the generic distinction between Ampelisca and Byblis. The basis merus junction of peraeopod 7 is not setose as in Ampelisca, but the dactylus of peraeopod 7 is spine-like as in Byblis.

Distribution. New South Wales: 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'.