Australian Amphipoda: Aoridae

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

Grandidierella propodentata Moore, 1986: 1393, figs 1�4.

Type material. HOLOTYPE: male, AM P36141. PARATYPES: 5 females, AM P36142; 5 males, 5 females, BMNH 1985:553; 5 males, 3 females, USNM 228398.

Type locality. 11 km from mouth of Fitzroy River, Queensland, (approximately 23�S 150�E), hypersaline lagoon (pond C1, southern bank) solar salt works at Casuarina, among Cladophora, Ruppia, Rhizoclonium..

Description. Based on Moore, 1986: 1394, figs 1�4 [11 km from mouth of Fitzroy River, Queensland].

Head. Rostrum absent or vestigial; Lateral cephalic lobes apically truncate or apically round, anteroventral margin moderately excavate, moderately recessed. Antenna 1 flagellum with 20 or less articles; accessory flagellum absent or vestigial. Antenna 2 with few long setae. Labium with fine setae and stout setae. Maxilla 1 inner plate without setae (?). Maxilliped basis without strong flange on anterior margin. Mandible, palp article 3 longer than 2, posterior margin straight or weakly falcate or widest medially, mandible palp posterior margin setae of more than two distinct lengths.

Peraeon. Sternal spines absent. Gnathopod 1 enlarged in males only; coxa unproduced anterodistally, or distinctly produced anterodistally, sub-acute; basis slender, much less than half 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 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, with an oblique row of long setae on medial face, posterior margin with stout spine or spines, two spines, proximal the larger; propodus shorter than carpus, anterior margin weakly to moderately setiferous, posterior margin sinuous or irregular with proximal lobe, palm absent; dactylus less than half length of propodus. Gnathopod 2 chelate; 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, moderately to sparsely setiferous; propodus moderately to sparsely setose, palm with robust seta(e) 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 rounded. Uropod 1 biramous, rami inner ramus distinctly longer than outer, peduncle much longer than broad, distoventral interramal spine shorter than peduncle. Uropod 2 peduncle without distoventral interramal spine or with vestigial spine. Uropod 3 uniramous, inner ramus one and one half times length of peduncle. Telson with distal fine setae only.

Habitat. Hypersaline lagoons.

Distribution. Queensland: Fitzroy River area (Moore, 1986).

Geographic areas. North-eastern Australia.

Peraeon. Gnathopod 1 carpus subequal in length with propodus, posterior margin without spines; propodus subequal in length to carpus, palm present, palm delimited from posterior margin, margin entire, palm defined by rounded or oblique corner, with robust seta defining palm; significantly overlapping palm. Gnathopod 2 carpus subequal with or shorter than propodus.

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