Australian Amphipoda: Aoridae

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

Bemlos tris Myers, 1988b: 297, figs 26�28.

Type material. HOLOTYPE, male, 4.4 mm, NMV J14035; PARATYPES, 29 males, 82 males, NMV J13611.

Type locality. Western Port, Victoria (38�21.65'S 145�31.69'E), intertidal.

Description. Based on Myers, 1988: 297, figs 26�28 [Western Port].

Head. Rostrum absent or vestigial; Lateral cephalic lobes apically truncate, anteroventral margin moderately 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 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 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, with acute 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 with stout spine or spines, one spine; 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, without robust seta defining palm, with spine near base of dactylus, with subquadrate spine; 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 longer than propodus, anterior margin not lobate, moderately to sparsely setiferous; propodus moderately to sparsely setose, without robust seta or spine defining palm.

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, rami subequal, inner ramus one and one half times length of peduncle. Telson with distal fine setae only.

Habitat. On muds and sands.

Depth zones. Littoral (intertidal to 6 m depth).

Distribution. Victoria: Westernport (Myers, 1988b).

Geographic areas. South-eastern Australia, or Southern Australia.

Peraeon. Gnathopod 1 posterior margin with dense rows of setae, without posterodistal spine; carpus two thirds length of propodus or subequal in length with propodus, posterior margin without spines; propodus subequal in length to carpus or longer than carpus, margin forming a broad excavate sinus (shallow), palm defined by subquadrate corner; dactylus more than half length of propodus. Gnathopod 2 carpus subequal with or shorter than propodus; palm with robust seta(e) defining palm.

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