Australian Amphipoda: Melitae

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

Melita kauerti J.L. Barnard, 1972

Melita zeylanica kauerti J.L. Barnard, 1972a: 235 figs 139-141. --Barnard & Barnard, 1983: 665.

Type material. HOLOTYPE: male, 8.0 mm, WAM 189-70.

Type locality. Middle Swan Bridge, Swan River, Western Australia.

Description. Based on J.L. Barnard, 1972a: 235 figs 139-141. 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, shorter than article 2, without robust setae along posterior margin; accessory flagellum with 3-4 articles. Antenna 2 peduncular article 2 cone gland not reaching to end of peduncular article 3; article 4 subequal to article 5. Mandible palp present, well developed, article 3 rectolinear, setose along straight medial margin, longer than article 1, article 2 subequal to article 3, article 1 not produced, shorter than article 2. 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 anterodistal projection forming hood over dactylus, posterodistal margin not swollen, palm nearly transverse, straight, 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 sharp posteroventral tooth; carpus compressed; propodus with medial depression, setose, palm broadly rounded, convex, smooth, with sparse robust setae, without posterodistal robust setae, without posteroventral corner; dactylus closing across medial surface of propodus, reaching end of palm, apically acute/subacute. Peraeopod 5 basis posterior margin convex. 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 narrowly rounded or subquadrate. Peraeopod 6 propodus not expanded posterodistally. Peraeopod 7 basis posterior margin convex. Peraeopod 7 basis with posterior margin smooth or minutely castelloserrate, posteroventral corner insignificant. 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 or serrate (minutely), 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, with two groups of 1-3 small dorsolateral robust setae. Urosomite 3 without dorsal robust setae. Uropod 1 peduncle with basofacial robust seta, without distoventral spur. Uropod 3 greatly exceeding uropods 1 and 2; inner ramus scale-like, much shorter than outer ramus; outer ramus 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. Estuarine.

Depth zone. Littoral.

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

Australian geographic areas. South-western Australia.

Pereon. Gnathopod 1 propodus without anterodistal projection. Gnathopod 2 carpus short; propodus without medial depression, without strong concentration of setae, palm acute, straight, defined by posterodistal robust setae; dactylus closing along palm. Peraeopod 6 coxa anterior lobe ventral margin strongly produced, hooked.

Mallacoota marilla J.L. Barnard, 1972a: 249, figs 146-147 (in part as PP phenotype). --Barnard & Barnard, 1983: 632.

Hoho marilla. --Lowry & Fenwick, 1983: xxx.

Type material. HOLOTYPE: male, 7.4 mm, NMV J229.

Type locality. Port Phillip Bay, Victoira.

Description. Based on J.L. Barnard, 1972a: 249, figs 146-147 (in part as PP phenotype). Head lateral cephalic lobes broad, truncated, with anteroventral notch or slit, anteroventral corner with acute/subacute tooth. Antenna 1 longer than antenna 2; peduncular article 1 not geniculate with article 2, subequal in length to article 2 or longer than article 2 (slightly), with 3 robust setae along posterior margin or with 4 or more robust setae along posterior margin; accessory flagellum with 3-4 articles. Antenna 2 peduncular article 2 cone gland reaching at least to end of peduncular article 3; article 4 longer than article 5. 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; carpus about 2 x as long as broad; propodus without anterodistal projection, posterodistal margin not swollen, palm acute, defined by posterodistal corner. 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 acute, concave, sculptured, with group of anterodistal robust setae, without posterodistal robust setae, defined by posteroventral tooth or defined by posteroventral corner; dactylus closing along palm, reaching end of palm, apically falcate. Peraeopod 5 basis posterior margin convex (slighlty). Peraeopod 5 basis posteroventral corner broadly rounded. Peraeopod 6 coxa anterior lobe ventral margin slightly produced, rounded. Peraeopod 6 basis posterior margin concave (slighlty). Peraeopod 6 basis posteroventral corner broadly rounded. Peraeopod 6 propodus not expanded posterodistally. Peraeopod 7 basis posterior margin convex (slighlty). 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, 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 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.

Habitat. Marine.

Depth zone. Littoral.

Distribution. Victoira: Port Phillip (J.L. Barnard, 1972a). Western Australia: Cheyne Beach; Cockburn Sound; Cape Naturaliste; Middleton Beach, Albany (all J.L. Barnard, 1972a).

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'.