Australian Amphipoda: Melitae

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

Ceradocopsis hamondi Moore, 1988

Ceradocopsis hamondi Moore, 1988: 153, figs 3-5.

Type material. HOLOTYPE: male, about 8 mm, AM P37467; PARATYPES: 3 juveniles, AM P37468.

Type locality. de Witt Island (also known as Maatsuyker Island), Tasmania (43ºS 146ºE), red algae, 10 m depth.

Description. Based on Moore, 1988: 153, figs 3-5. Head lateral cephalic lobes broad, rounded, lacking notch or slit, anteroventral corner subquadrate. Antenna 1 longer than antenna 2, or subequal to antenna 2; peduncular article 1 not geniculate with article 2, subequal in length to article 2, with 1 robust seta on posterior margin; flagellum with 18 articles (+); accessory flagellum with 3 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 12 articles. Mandible palp present, well developed, article 3 rectolinear, setose on distomedial margin, longer than article 1, article 2 subequal to 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 not produced, 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 acute, straight, defined by posterodistal corner, defined by posterodistal robust setae. Gnathopod 2 subchelate; left and right gnathopods subequal in size; coxa posteroventral corner notch absent; merus with rounded posteroventral corner; carpus compressed; propodus without medial depression, palm acute, concave, smooth, 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 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 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 subquadrate, 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 (2), 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), 2-articulate. Telson cleft. Telson without robust setae on inner margins. Telson each lobe with 3 or more apical/subapical robust setae, apical conical extension absent.

Habitat. Marine; among red algae.

Depth zone. Littoral (10 m).

Distribution. Tasmania: de Witt Island (Moore, 1988).

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'.