Mediterranean Amphipoda: Aoridae

R. King & A.A. Myers

Microdeutopus bifidis Myers, 1977b: 475, fig. 1. --Myers, 1982a: 145�146, fig. 96.

Type material. Unknown.

Type locality. Catania, Sicily, Italy.

Description. Based on Myers, 1982a:145�146, fig. 96. --Myers, 1977b: 475, fig. 1.

Head. Rostrum absent or vestigial; Lateral cephalic lobes apically round, anteroventral margin shallowly excavate, scarcely recessed. Antenna 1 flagellum with 21 or more articles; accessory flagellum present and multiarticulate. Antenna 2 with few long setae. Maxilliped basis with strong flange on anterior margin; palp with wing-like flanges on anterior margin of basis, ischium and merus.

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 one and one third to one and one half 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, two spines, distal the larger; propodus shorter than carpus, anterior margin weakly to moderately setiferous, posterior margin sinuous or irregular with proximal lobe, palm absent; dactylus about 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 robust seta(e) defining palm. Pereopod 6 basis not or weakly produced posterodistally.

Pleon. Epimeron 3 posterodistal margin produced into a small spine. Uropod 1 biramous, rami rami subequal, peduncle much longer than broad, distoventral interramal spine longer 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.

Habitat. Among algae.

Depth zones. Littoral.

Distribution. Mediterranean Sea.

Peraeon. Sternal spines absent. Gnathopod 1 coxa distinctly produced anterodistally, sub-acute; basis slender, much less than half as broad as long; carpus subequal in length with propodus; propodus subequal in length to 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; significantly overlapping palm. Gnathopod 2 basis anterodistal margin without flange; carpus subequal with or shorter than propodus.

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