Australian Amphipoda: Aoridae

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

Bemlos arkoolus Myers, 1988

Bemlos arkoolus Myers, 1988b: 305, figs 35�39.

Type material. HOLOTYPE: male, 8.0 mm, NMV J14032. PARATYPES: 1 male, 2 females, 2 immature, NMV J13708; 1 male, AM P38615; 1 female, AM P37435; I female, AM P38616.

Type locality. East of Grassy Creek, Victoria,.

Description. Based on Myers, 1988: 305, figs 35�39 [Grassy Creek, Victoria].

Head. Rostrum absent or vestigial; Lateral cephalic lobes apically truncate, anteroventral margin shallowly excavate, scarcely recessed. Antenna 2 with profuse long setae. Labium with fine setae and stout setae. Maxilla 1 inner plate with 1 long pectinate apical seta. Mandible, palp article 3 longer than 2, posterior margin widest medially, mandible palp posterior margin with setae of two distinct lengths, long setae and an understory of much shorter regularly spaced setae.

Peraeon. Sternal spines absent. Gnathopod 1 enlarged in males only; coxa unproduced anterodistally, or distinctly produced anterodistally, sub-acute; basis robust, half or more as broad as long, without a spine, anterior margin without stridulating ridges, posterodistal margin with setae sparse or absent, anterodistal margin with flange weak or absent, with a well developed distomedial lobe on the anterior margin; ischium anterior margin without flange, posterior margin with setae sparse or absent; merus not greatly elongated, fused along its entire length with carpus, posterior margin with sparse setae or setae absent, without posterodistal spine; carpus two thirds length of propodus, anterior margin without stridulating ridges, with setae sparse or absent, anterior surface with no spine, without an oblique row of long setae on medial face, posterior margin with stout spine or spines or posterior margin without spines, one spine; propodus longer than carpus, anterior margin weakly to moderately setiferous, posterior margin straight or evenly convex, palm present, palm delimited from posterior margin, margin forming a narrow sinus, palm defined by strong posterodistal spine, with robust seta defining palm, without spine near base of dactylus; dactylus more than half length of propodus, significantly overlapping palm. Gnathopod 2 subchelate; basis anterodistal margin without flange, posterodistal margin without robust setae; with few setae along length of basis; carpus subequal with or shorter than propodus, anterior margin not lobate, densely setose; propodus densely setose, without robust seta or spine defining palm. Pereopod 6 basis not or weakly produced posterodistally. Pereopod 7 significantly less than 125% length of pereopod 6.

Pleon. Epimeron 3 posterodistal margin produced into a small spine. Uropod 1 biramous, rami rami subequal, peduncle much longer than broad, distoventral interramal spine shorter than peduncle. Uropod 2 peduncle with distoventral interramal spine. Uropod 3 biramous, rami subequal, inner ramus subequal with length of peduncle. Telson with distal fine setae only.

Female (sexually dimorphic characters). Peraeon. Gnathopod 1 with a weak distomedial lobe or absent; carpus one third length of propodus or two thirds length of propodus, posterior margin without spines; margin entire, palm defined by rounded or oblique corner; dactylus about half length of propodus, fitting palm. Gnathopod 2 moderately to sparsely setiferous; propodus moderately to sparsely setose, palm with robust seta(e) defining palm.

Habitat. Among algae and Galeolaria in shallow water.

Depth zones. Littoral.

Distribution. Victoria: Grassy Creek (Myers, 1988b). South Australia: Stokes Bay, Kangaroo Island (Myers, 1988b).

Geographic areas. South-eastern Australia, or Southern Australia.

Cite this publication as: 'J.K. Lowry, P.B. Berents & R.T. Springthorpe (2001 onwards). Australian Amphipoda: Aoridae. Version 1: 2 October 2000. https://crustacea.net/'. Dallwitz (1980) and Dallwitz, Paine and Zurcher (1993, 1995, 2000) should also be cited (see References).

Index