Australian Amphipoda: Melitae

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

Maera sp 1

Type material. HOLOTYPE: male, 11.8 mm, AM P60389. PARATYPES: female, 12.5 mm, AM P27286; male, AM P60390; 5 specimens, AM P60391.

Type locality. Bottle and Glass Rocks, Port Jackson, New South Wales (33º50.9'S 151º16.2'E).

Description. Based on holotype male, AM P60389 and paratype female AM P27286. Head lateral cephalic lobes broad, rounded, with anteroventral notch or slit, anteroventral corner subquadrate. Antenna 1 longer than antenna 2; peduncular article 1 not geniculate with article 2, subequal in length to article 2, with 1 robust seta on posterior margin (distal); flagellum with 34 articles; accessory flagellum with 6 articles. Antenna 2 peduncular article 2 cone gland reaching at least to end of peduncular article 3; article 4 longer than article 5, or article 4 subequal to article 5 (slightly longer); flagellum with 20 articles. Mandible palp present, well developed, article 3 rectolinear, setose on distomedial margin, longer than article 1, article 2 longer than article 3, article 1 not produced, shorter than article 2, about twice as long as broad. Maxilla 1 inner plate with setae mainly terminal.

Pereon. Gnathopod 1 not sexually dimorphic; coxa anteroventral corner produced, acute, coxa posteroventral corner notch absent; merus without posterodistal tooth; carpus about 2 x as long as broad; propodus without anterodistal projection, posterodistal margin not swollen, palm extremely acute, convex (slightly), without posterodistal corner, defined by posterodistal robust setae. Gnathopod 2 not sexually dimorphic; subchelate; left and right gnathopods subequal in size; coxa posteroventral corner notch absent; merus with sharp posteroventral tooth; carpus compressed; propodus without medial depression, without strong concentration of setae, palm acute, straight, sculptured, with sparse robust setae, defined by posterodistal robust setae, defined by posteroventral corner; dactylus closing along palm, 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 not produced ventrally. Peraeopod 6 basis posterior margin convex. 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 smooth or minutely 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 without 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 without dorsal 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, without dorsolateral robust setae. Urosomite 3 without dorsal robust setae. Uropod 1 peduncle with basofacial robust seta, without distoventral spur. Uropod 3 exceeding uropods 1 and 2; inner ramus subequal in length to outer ramus; outer ramus medium length (1.1 to about 1.5 x longer than peducle), 1-articulate. Telson cleft. Telson with robust setae on inner margins. Telson without apical robust setae, apical conical extension absent.

Habitat. Marine; in and among dense tubes on sediment covered rocks, bryozoans.

Depth zone. Littoral (7 to 19 m).

Remarks. Most similar to M. griffini Berents, 1983.

Distribution. New South Wales: Port Jackson; Mary's Rock, Cook Island (both AM).

Australian geographic areas. South-eastern Australia.

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'.