Australian Amphipoda: Melitae

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


Gammarella berringar (J.L. Barnard, 1974)

Cottesloe berringar J.L. Barnard, 1974: 29, figs 19-21.

Gammarella berringar. --Karaman & Barnard, 1979: 155. --Barnard & Barnard, 1983: 638. --Lowry & Watson, in press.

Type material. HOLOTYPE: male, 13.3 mm, WAM 136-71.

Type locality. Cottesloe, Western Australia.

Description. Based on J.L. Barnard, 1974: 29, figs 19-21. Head lateral cephalic lobes broad, truncated, with anteroventral notch or slit, anteroventral corner rounded. Antenna 1 longer than antenna 2; peduncular article 1 not geniculate with article 2, subequal in length to article 2, with 2 robust setae along posterior margin or with 3 robust setae along posterior margin; accessory flagellum with 6-7 articles. Antenna 2 peduncular article 2 cone gland reaching at least to end of peduncular article 3; article 4 longer than article 5; flagellum with 35 articles (about). Mandible palp present, well developed, article 3 slightly falcate, setose along concave medial margin, longer than article 1, article 2 subequal to article 3, article 1 not produced, shorter than article 2, at least 3 x as long as broad. Maxilla 1 inner plate setose along entire inner margin.

Pereon. Gnathopod 1 not sexually dimorphic; coxa anteroventral corner not produced, coxa posteroventral corner notch absent; merus without posterodistal tooth; carpus about 4 x as long as broad; propodus without anterodistal projection, posterodistal margin not swollen, palm nearly transverse, convex (slightly), defined by posterodistal corner, defined by posterodistal robust setae. Gnathopod 2 sexually dimorphic; subchelate; left and right gnathopods subequal in size; coxa posteroventral corner notch absent; merus with rounded posteroventral corner; carpus compressed; propodus without medial depression, with strong setal bunch, palm extremely acute, straight, smooth, without robust setae, without posterodistal robust setae, without posteroventral corner; dactylus closing along palm, not reaching end of palm, apically acute/subacute. Peraeopod 5 basis posterior margin straight. Peraeopod 5 basis posteroventral corner broadly rounded. Peraeopod 6 coxa anterior lobe ventral margin slightly produced, rounded. Peraeopod 6 basis posterior margin straight. Peraeopod 6 basis posteroventral corner broadly rounded. Peraeopod 6 propodus not expanded posterodistally. Peraeopod 7 basis posterior margin convex. Peraeopod 7 basis with posterior margin castelloserrate, posteroventral corner broadly rounded. Peraeopod 7 propodus not expanded posterodistally.

Pleon. Pleonite 1 without dorsal serrations, without dorsodistal spines, not dorsally bicarinate. Pleonite 2 without dorsal serrations, without dorsodistal spines, not dorsally bicarinate. Pleonite 3 without dorsal serrations, without dorsodistal spines, dorsally smooth. Epimeron 1 anteroventral corner with large curved spine. Epimera 1-2 posteroventral margin without spines above posteroventral corner. Epimeron 3 posterior margin smooth, posteroventral corner with small acute spine, posteroventral margin smooth. Urosomite 1 with large dorsal recurved carina, without a small dorsal hump, without dorsal serrations, without spines or gape, not dorsally bicarinate. Urosomite 1 without posterodorsal spine. Urosomite 2 posterior margin smooth, with two groups of 1-3 small dorsolateral robust setae. Urosomite 3 with two groups of small dorsal robust setae. Uropod 1 peduncle with basofacial robust seta, without distoventral spur. Uropod 3 subequal or slightly exceeding length of uropods 1 and 2; inner ramus shorter than outer ramus; outer ramus short (shorter than or subequal to peducle), 2-articulate. Telson cleft. Telson without robust setae on inner margins. Telson each lobe with 1 apical/subapical robust seta, apical conical extension absent.

Habitat. Marine.

Depth zone. Littoral.

Distribution. Western Australia: Cottesloe (J.L. Barnard, 1972a).

Australian geographic areas. South-western Australia.


(Variant) Female (sexually dimorphic characters).

Pereon. Gnathopod 2 carpus compressed, or long; without strong concentration of setae, palm acute, with sparse robust setae, defined by posterodistal robust setae; reaching end of palm.

Cite this publication as: 'J.K. Lowry, P.B Berents & R.T. Springthorpe (2000 onwards). Australian Amphipoda: Melitae Descriptions, Illustrations, Identification and Information Retrieval. Version: 2 October 2000. https://crustacea.net'.