Australian Amphipoda: Eusiridae

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

Sancho playnotus Stebbing

Sancho playnotus Stebbing, 1897: 42, pl.9.a. --Stebbing, 1906: 288, figs 72-73. --Stebbing, 1910: 639. --Barnard & Karaman, 1991: 339, fig. 64. --Lowry & Barnard, 2001: 238, figs 6-9.

Type material. NEOTYPE: female, 3.9 mm, AM P58144.

Type locality. Bare Island, Botany Bay, New South Wales, (33º 59.53'S 151º 13.83'E), 12 m, sponge.

Description. Based on Lowry & Barnard, 2001: 238, figs 6-9. Head rostrum present, short; eyes present, eyes round. Body dorsally smooth. Antenna 1 subequal in length to antenna 2; accessory flagellum absent. Mandible molar columnar, triturative. Lower lip inner lobes absent. Maxilla 1 inner plate apically setose. Maxilla 2 inner plate much broader than outer; inner plate with slender medial setae, without oblique row of slender setae.

Peraeon. Gnathopod 1 chelate (weakly); smaller than gnathopod 2; coxa weakly or not produced anteroventrally; carpus cantilevered, longer than propodus, without a lobe; propodus without robust setae along posterior margin (adults); dactylus narrowing distally, apically acute or subacute. Gnathopod 2 sexually dimorphic. Gnathopod 2 subchelate; carpus cantilevered, without a lobe, shorter than propodus; propodus without robust setae along posterior margin (adults); dactylus narrowing distally, apically acute or subacute. Peraeopods 3-4 propodus simple, with distal slender setae. Peraeopods 5-7 dactyli inner margins smooth or minutely castellate.

Pleon. Pleonites neither tricarinate. Epimeron 3 posteroventral margin smooth, corner acutely produced. Uropod 1 outer ramus shorter than inner. Uropod 3 peduncle without dorsal robust setae; outer ramus shorter than inner. Telson notched or entire, without large apical robust setae.

Female (sexually dimorphic characters). Peraeon. Gnathopod 1 subequal to gnathopod 2. Gnathopod 2 chelate (weakly); carpus not cantilevered, longer than propodus.

Habitat. Marine; assoicated with sponges.

Depth zones. Littoral (12 m).

Remarks. After 100 years this species was recently recollected among sponges in Botany Bay, New South Wales and has been redescribed by Lowry & Barnard (2001).

Distribution. New South Wales: Port Jackson (Stebbing, 1897) and Botany Bay (Lowry & Barnard, 2001).

Geographic areas. South-eastern Australia.

Cite this publication as: 'J.K. Lowry, P.B Berents & R.T. Springthorpe (2000 onwards). Australian Amphipoda: Eusiridae. Version: 2 October 2000. https://crustacea.net'.