Australian Amphipoda: Melitae

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

Elasmopus bollonsi Chilton, 1915

Elasmopus bollonsi Chilton, 1915: 328, figs 11-12. --J.L. Barnard, 1974: 18, figs 11-13. --J.L. Barnard, 1972b: 98, figs 48-49. --Barnard & Barnard, 1983: 627.

Type material. SYNTYPES: CMNZ.

Type locality. Off Three Kings Islands, north of New Zealand.

Description. Based on J.L. Barnard, 1974: 98, figs 48-49. 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, longer than article 2, without robust setae along posterior margin; flagellum with 25 articles; accessory flagellum with 4 articles. Antenna 2 peduncular article 2 cone gland reaching at least to end of peduncular article 3; article 4 subequal to article 5; flagellum with 10 articles. Mandible palp present, well developed, article 3 strongly falcate, setose along concave medial margin, longer than article 1, article 2 shorter than article 3, article 1 not produced, shorter than article 2, about as long as broad. Maxilla 1 inner plate with setae mainly terminal.

Pereon. Gnathopod 1 not sexually dimorphic; coxa anteroventral corner produced, rounded; merus without posterodistal tooth; carpus about 2 x as long as broad; propodus without anterodistal projection, posterodistal margin not swollen, palm acute, convex, defined by posterodistal corner, defined by posterodistal robust setae. Gnathopod 2 sexually dimorphic; subchelate; left and right gnathopods unequal in size; (larger) merus with subquadrate posteroventral corner; compressed; palm angle acute, sinusoidal, posterodistal tooth absent, without robust setae; dactylus apically blunt; (smaller) merus with rounded posteroventral corner; long; palm straight, without posteroventral tooth. Peraeopod 5 basis posterior margin convex (slightly). Peraeopod 5 basis posteroventral corner broadly rounded. Peraeopod 6 coxa anterior lobe ventral margin slightly produced, truncated. 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 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 with 1 to 2 large or small spines above spine defining posteroventral corner, or with 3 large or small spines above spine defining 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 subequal or slightly exceeding length of uropods 1 and 2; inner ramus shorter than outer ramus; outer ramus medium length (1.1 to about 1.5 x longer than peducle) or long (more than 1.6 x longer than peduncle), 1-articulate. Telson cleft. Telson without robust setae on inner margins. Telson each lobe with 3 or more apical/subapical robust setae, apical conical extension reaching scarcely one third along longest seta.

Habitat. Marine.

Depth zone. Littoral (0 to 16 m).

Remarks. The female differs from the male by having a smaller gnathopod 2 but without an excavate palm, carpus is shorter and the posterior lobe is not distally extended; the antennae are less setose than in the male.

Distribution. Victoria: Lady Julia Percy Island, Bass Strait (J.L. Barnard, 1974). South Australia: Toad Head, West Island (J.L. Barnard, 1974). Western Australia: Middleton Beach, Albany; Cheyne Beach; Point Peron (all J.L. Barnard, 1974).

Extrinsic distribution. New Zealand.

Australian geographic areas. Southern Australia, or South-western Australia.

Pereon. Gnathopod 2 left and right gnathopods subequal in size; merus with rounded posteroventral corner; carpus short; propodus without medial depression, palm acute, straight, smooth, without robust setae, defined by posterodistal robust setae, without posteroventral corner; dactylus closing along palm or closing across medial surface of propodus, reaching end of palm, apically acute/subacute.

Pleon. Habitat. 0-110 m.

Mallacoota carteta J.L. Barnard, 1972a: 252, fig.147. --Barnard & Barnard, 1983: 631.

Hoho carteta. --Lowry & Fenwick, 1983: 228.

Type material. HOLOTYPE: male, 8.8 mm, WAM 196-70.

Type locality. Cheyne Beach, east of Albany, Western Australia, intertidal.

Description. Based on J.L. Barnard, 1972a: 252, fig.147. Head lateral cephalic lobes broad, rounded, 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 4 or more robust setae along posterior margin; flagellum with 34 articles (about); accessory flagellum with 4 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 15 articles (about). Mandible palp vestigial or absent. Maxilla 1 inner plate with setae mainly terminal.

Pereon. Gnathopod 1 not sexually dimorphic; coxa anteroventral corner produced, rounded, coxa posteroventral corner notch absent; merus with sharp posterodistal tooth; carpus about 2 x as long as broad; propodus without anterodistal projection, posterodistal margin not swollen, palm acute or extremely acute, 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; carpus compressed; propodus without medial depression, without strong concentration of setae, palm extremely acute, sinusoidal, smooth, with group of anterodistal robust setae, without posterodistal robust setae, defined by posteroventral corner; dactylus closing along palm, reaching end of palm, apically acute/subacute. Peraeopod 5 basis posteroventral corner broadly rounded. Peraeopod 6 coxa anterior lobe ventral margin slightly produced, rounded. Peraeopod 6 basis posterior margin concave (slightly). Peraeopod 6 basis posteroventral corner broadly rounded. Peraeopod 6 propodus not expanded posterodistally. Peraeopod 7 basis posterior margin straight. 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, with dorsodistal spine, not dorsally bicarinate. Pleonite 2 without dorsal serrations, with dorsodistal spine, not dorsally bicarinate. Pleonite 3 without dorsal serrations, without dorsodistal spines, with rounded dorsodistal carina. 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 strongly produced acute spine, posteroventral margin smooth. Urosomite 1 without dorsal carina, without a small dorsal hump, without dorsal serrations, without spines or gape, 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 subequal or slightly exceeding length of uropods 1 and 2; inner ramus subequal in length to outer ramus; outer ramus short (shorter than or subequal to peducle) or medium length (1.1 to about 1.5 x longer than peducle), 1-articulate. Telson cleft. Telson without robust setae on inner margins. Telson each lobe with 3 or more apical/subapical robust setae, apical conical extension reaching at least halfway along longest seta.

Habitat. Marine; among algae.

Depth zone. Littoral, or Continental shelf (13 to 50 m).

Distribution. Victoira: Port Phillip (J.L. Barnard, 1972a); Lady Julia Percy Island, Bass Strait (J.L. Barnard, 1972a).South Australia: Pearson Islands (J.L. Barnard, 1972a); Western Australia: Cottesloe Beach; Cheyne Beach (J.L. Barnard, 1972a).

Australian geographic areas. South-eastern Australia, or South-western 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'.