Australian Amphipoda: Melitae

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

Quadrimaera reishi (J.L. Barnard, 1979)

Maera reishi J.L. Barnard, 1979: 83, figs 45-47. --Berents, 1983: 129, fig. 23.

Quadrimaera reishi. --Krapp-Schickel & Ruffo, 2000: xxx.

Type material. HOLOTYPE: male USNM 142568.

Type locality. Isla Espiritu Santo, Gulf of California.

Description. Based on J.L. Barnard, 1979: 83, figs 45-47 and Berents, 1983: 129, fig. 23. Head lateral cephalic lobes broad, rounded, lacking 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, with 3 robust setae along posterior margin; flagellum with 15-16 articles; accessory flagellum with 7-8 articles. Antenna 2 peduncular article 2 cone gland not reaching to end of peduncular article 3; article 4 longer than article 5; flagellum with 7-8 articles. Mandible palp present, well developed, article 3 rectolinear, setose along straight 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, acute (slightly) or 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, convex, without posterodistal corner. Gnathopod 2 not sexually dimorphic; subchelate; left and right gnathopods subequal in size; coxa posteroventral corner notch absent; merus with rounded posteroventral corner; carpus compressed; propodus without medial depression, without strong concentration of setae, palm nearly transverse, convex (slightly), sculptured or smooth, lined with robust setae, defined by posterodistal robust setae, defined by posteroventral tooth; dactylus closing along palm, reaching end of palm, apically acute/subacute. Peraeopod 5 basis posterior margin convex (slighlty). Peraeopod 5 basis posteroventral corner narrowly rounded or subquadrate. Peraeopod 6 coxa anterior lobe ventral margin slightly produced, truncated. 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 narrowly rounded or subquadrate. 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 subequal or slightly exceeding length of uropods 1 and 2; inner ramus shorter than outer ramus (slightly), or subequal in length to outer ramus; outer ramus short (shorter than or subequal to peducle), 2-articulate (minute). 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 or absent.

Habitat. Marine; living among reef rocks covered with algae to 18 m depth.

Depth zone. Littoral.

Distribution. Queensland: Lizard Island, Great Barrier Reef (Berents, 1983).

Extrinsic distribution. Southern California; Gulf of California; Galapagogos Islands.

Australian geographic areas. North-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'.