Australian Amphipoda: Aoridae

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

Lembos saloteae Myers, 1985b: 373, figs 238�241. --Myers, 1986: 271, 288.

Bemlos saloteae. --Myers, 1988a: 188. --Myers, 1988b: 284, figs 15�16.

Type material. HOLOTYPE: male, 5.5 mm, MV. PARATYPES: 1 male, 2 females, MSNV.

Type locality. Pangaimotu Island, Tongatapu, Tonga, among Amphiroa, inner reef, 0.5 m depth.

Description. Based on Myers, 1988: 284, figs 15�16[Lizard Island]; Myers, 1985b: 373, figs. 238�241.

Head. Rostrum absent or vestigial; Lateral cephalic lobes apically truncate or apically round, 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. Maxilliped basis without strong flange on anterior margin. Mandible, palp article 3 longer than 2, posterior margin straight or weakly falcate, 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, 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 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 third 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, with spine near base of dactylus, with subtriangular, apically acute spine; dactylus more than half length of propodus, significantly overlapping palm. 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. 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, outer ramus shorter than inner, inner ramus one and one half times length of peduncle. Telson with distal fine setae only.

Habitat. Sand, reef rubble and algal turf.

Depth zones. Littoral (0.5 to 2.5 m depth).

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

Geographic areas. North-eastern Australia.

Extrinsic distribution. Tonga.

Peraeon. Sternal spines absent. Gnathopod 1 basis slender, much less than half as broad as long; carpus two thirds length of propodus; margin entire, palm defined by rounded or oblique corner, without spine near base of dactylus; fitting palm. Gnathopod 2 basis anterodistal margin without flange; 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