Australian Amphipoda: Aoridae

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

Bemlos triangularum Myers, 1988b: 291, figs 22-23.

Type material. HOLOTYPE: male, 4.0 mm, AM P37428. PARATYPES: 1 female, AM P37429; 2 females, AM P38612.

Type locality. Sandbank reef, northern Queensland (13º45'S 144º16'E), rubble from south-west end of reef, 8-10 m depth.

Description. Based on Myers, 1988: 291, figs 22-23 [Sandbank reef, Queensland].

Head. Rostrum absent or vestigial; Lateral cephalic lobes apically truncate, anteroventral margin shallowly excavate, scarcely recessed. 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 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 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 without spines; propodus subequal in length to carpus, anterior margin weakly to moderately setiferous, posterior margin straight or evenly convex, palm present, palm delimited from posterior margin, margin entire, palm defined by strong posterodistal spine, without robust seta defining palm, without spine near base of dactylus; dactylus about 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 subequal with or shorter than propodus, anterior margin not lobate, moderately to sparsely setiferous; propodus moderately to sparsely setose, palm with robust seta(e) defining palm.

Pleon. Epimeron 3 posterodistal margin produced into a small spine. Uropod 1 biramous, rami rami subequal (inner could be shorter), 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 one and one half times length of peduncle.

Habitat. Coral rubble.

Depth zones. Littoral (8 to 10 m).

Distribution. Queensland: Sandbank reef, Great Barrier Reef (Myers, 1988b).

Geographic areas. North-eastern Australia.

Peraeon. Sternal spines absent. Gnathopod 1 coxa distinctly produced anterodistally, sub-acute; carpus subequal in length with propodus; palm defined by rounded or oblique corner, with robust seta defining palm.

Pleon. Uropod 1 rami rami subequal.

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