Australian Amphipoda: Aoridae

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

Bemlos mollis Myers, 1988b: 271, figs 4-6.

Type material. HOLOTYPE: male, 3.0 mm, AM P37403. PARATYPES: female, AM P37404; male, AM P37406.

Type locality. Lizard Island, Queensland, rubble and algal turf on top of patch reef in lagoon, 1.5 m depth.

Description. Based on Myers, 1988: 271, figs 4-6 [Lizard Island].

Head. Rostrum absent or vestigial; Lateral cephalic lobes apically truncate, anteroventral margin shallowly excavate, scarcely recessed. Antenna 1 flagellum with 20 or less articles; accessory flagellum present and multiarticulate. 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 straight or weakly falcate or 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 present, on other pereonites, apically acute. Gnathopod 1 enlarged in males only; coxa unproduced anterodistally; basis robust, half or more as broad as long, without a spine, anterior margin without stridulating ridges, posterodistal margin with brush of long setae, 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 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 without spines; 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 longer than propodus, anterior margin not lobate, densely setose; propodus densely setose, palm with robust seta(e) defining palm. Pereopod 6 basis not or weakly produced posterodistally. Pereopod 7 significantly greater than 125% length of pereopod 6.

Pleon. Epimeron 3 posterodistal margin rounded. 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, outer ramus shorter than inner, inner ramus twice length of peduncle. Telson with distal fine setae only.

Habitat. Among algal turf and reef rubble.

Depth zones. Littoral.

Distribution. Queensland: Lizard Island (Myers, 1988b).

Geographic areas. North-eastern Australia.

Peraeon. Sternal spines absent. Gnathopod 1 basis slender, much less than half as broad as long, posterodistal margin with setae sparse or absent, anterodistal margin with flange weak or absent; carpus subequal in length with propodus; propodus subequal in length to carpus, margin entire, palm defined by rounded or oblique corner. Gnathopod 2 carpus subequal with or shorter than propodus, moderately to sparsely setiferous; propodus moderately to sparsely setose.

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