Australian Amphipoda: Melitae

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

Nuuanu merringannee (J.L. Barnard, 1974)

Cottesloe merringannee J.L. Barnard, 1974: 31, figs 22-23.

Gammarella merringannee. --Karaman & Barnard, 1979: 155. --Barnard & Barnard, 1983: 638.

Nuuanu merringannee. --Lowry & Watson, in press.

Type material. HOLOTYPE: male, 5.7 mm NMV J322.

Type locality. VicFish 582, Western Port, Victoria.

Description. Based on J.L. Barnard, 1974: 31, figs 22-23. Head lateral cephalic lobes broad, truncated, with anteroventral notch or slit, anteroventral corner rounded. Antenna 1 longer than antenna 2, or subequal to antenna 2 (slightly); peduncular article 1 geniculate with article 2, longer than article 2 (slightly), with 2 robust setae along posterior margin; flagellum with 16 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 10 articles. Mandible palp present, well developed, article 3 slightly falcate, 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 setose along entire inner margin.

Pereon. Gnathopod 1 not sexually dimorphic; coxa anteroventral corner not produced, coxa posteroventral corner notch present; merus without posterodistal tooth; carpus about 2 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; merus with rounded posteroventral corner; carpus compressed; propodus without medial depression, with strong setal bunch, palm extremely acute, convex, smooth, with group of anterodistal robust setae, without posterodistal robust setae, without posteroventral corner; dactylus closing along palm, not reaching end of palm, apically blunt. Peraeopod 5 basis posterior margin concave. Peraeopod 5 basis posteroventral corner broadly rounded. Peraeopod 6 coxa anterior lobe ventral margin not produced ventrally. Peraeopod 6 basis posterior margin subsigmoidal (slighlty). 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, with dorsodistal spine, not dorsally bicarinate. Pleonite 2 without dorsal serrations, with dorsodistal spine, not dorsally bicarinate. Pleonite 3 without dorsal serrations, with dorsodistal spine, 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, 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.

Remarks. Nuuanu merringannee was originally described in the genus Cottesloe J.L. Barnard, 1974. Karaman & Barnard, 1979 placed it in Gammarella. Based on the revision of Lowry & Watson (in press) it is transferred back to Nuuanu.

Distribution. Victoria: Western Port (J.L. Barnard, 1974).

Australian geographic areas. South-eastern Australia.

Pereon. Gnathopod 2 carpus long; without strong concentration of setae, palm acute, sinusoidal (slightly), with sparse robust setae, defined by posterodistal robust setae, defined by posteroventral corner; reaching end of palm, apically acute/subacute.

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'.