Mediterranean Amphipoda: Aoridae

R. King & A.A. Myers

Microdeutopus armatus Chevreux, 1887

Microdeutopus armatus Chevreux, 1887, pl. 41. --Chevreux & Fage, 1925: 296, figs. 303, 307. --Myers, 1969b: 129, figs. 17, 18, 20. --Myers, 1982a: 144, fig. 95.

Simpsonella armata (Chevreux). --Della Valle, 1893: 422, pl. 4, fig. 8, pl. 11, figs. 13�24. --Chevreux, 1900: 89. --Norman, 1905: 25.

Type material. Unknown.

Type locality. North East of Basse-Kikerie, Atlantic France.

Description. Based on Myers, 1982a: 144, fig. 95. --Myers, 1969b: 129, figs. 17, 18, 20.

Head. Rostrum absent or vestigial; Lateral cephalic lobes apically round, anteroventral margin moderately excavate, moderately recessed. Antenna 1 flagellum with 20 or less articles; accessory flagellum present and with one long and one rudimentary article. Antenna 2 with few long setae. Maxilliped basis without strong flange on anterior margin. Mandible, palp article 3 shorter than 2, posterior margin strongly falcate or widest medially, mandible palp posterior margin setae of more than two distinct lengths.

Peraeon. Sternal spines present, on other pereonites, apically acute. Gnathopod 1 enlarged in males only; coxa distinctly produced anterodistally, 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 strong flange, with a weak distomedial lobe or absent; 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 twice 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, one spine; propodus shorter than carpus, anterior margin weakly to moderately setiferous, posterior margin sinuous or irregular with proximal lobe, palm absent; dactylus more than half length of propodus. Gnathopod 2 subchelate; basis anterodistal margin with flange, posterodistal margin without robust setae; with few setae along length of basis; carpus longer than propodus, anterior margin not lobate, moderately to sparsely setiferous; propodus moderately to sparsely setose, palm with spine defining palm. Pereopod 6 basis not or weakly produced posterodistally.

Pleon. Uropod 1 biramous, rami rami subequal, peduncle much longer than broad, distoventral interramal spine shorter than peduncle. Uropod 2 peduncle without distoventral interramal spine or with vestigial spine. Uropod 3 biramous, rami subequal, inner ramus subequal with length of peduncle. Telson with distal fine setae only.

Female (sexually dimorphic characters). Peraeon. Sternal spines absent. Gnathopod 1 carpus two thirds length of propodus, posterior margin without spines; propodus longer than carpus, palm present, palm delimited from posterior margin, margin entire, palm defined by rounded or oblique corner or corner undefined, with robust seta defining palm; dactylus about half length of propodus, significantly overlapping palm. Gnathopod 2 carpus subequal with or shorter than propodus; propodus densely setose.

Habitat. On soft mud, fine and coarse sand (Myers, 1982a).

Depth zones. Littoral.

Distribution. Atlantic coast of France, Mediterranean Sea.

Cite this publication as: 'King, R. & A.A. Myers (2001 onwards). Mediterranean Amphipoda: Aoridae. Version 1: 1 September 2001. https://crustacea.net/'. Dallwitz (1980) and Dallwitz, Paine and Zurcher (1993, 1995, 2000) should also be cited (see References).

Index