Australian Amphipoda: Melitae

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

Ceradocus rubromaculatus (Stimpson, 1855) Ceradocus rubromaculatus (Stimpson, 1855).

Gammarus rubromaculatus Stimpson, 1855: 394.

Maera rubromaculata. --Haswell, 1879a: 267, pl. 10, fig. 4. --Haswell, 1885: 225. --Haswell, 1885: 105, pl. 15, figs 5-12.

Ceradocus rubromaculatus. -- Della Valle, 1893: 720 (in part). --Stebbing, 1906: 430 (in part). --Stebbing, 1910a: 598. --Chilton, 1916b: 369. --? K.H. Barnard, 1931: 124. --Schellenberg, 1938: 63. --Ledoyer, 1967: 39, pl. 14. --J.L. Barnard, 1972a: 220, fig. 129. --Barnard & Barnard, 1983: 616. --Myers, 1985: 101, figs 79-80.

Ceradocus (Denticeradocus) rubromaculatus. --Sheard 1939: 280, fig. 2. --Ren, 1998: 195, figs 1-2.

not Moera rubromaculatus. --Haswell, 1885: 105, pl. 15, figs 5-12 (in part, part = C. ramsayi (Haswell, 1879a).

not Maera rubromaculatus. --Stebbing, 1888: 1008. pls 95-96 (in part, part = C. ramsayi (Haswell, 1879a), pl. 95a, 96b; part =C. capensis Sheard, 1939, pl. 95e) .

not Ceradocus rubromaculatus. --Chevreux, 1908: 479, fig. 6 (=C. chevreuxi Sheard, 1939). --Stebbing, 1908: 81 (=C. capensis Sheard, 1939). --Stebbing, 1910b: 456 (=C. capensis Sheard, 1939). --Chilton, 1921: 71, fig. 9a-c (=Ceradocus sp.). --Tattersall, 1922: 6, pl. 1, figs 15-16. --Schellenberg, 1925: 154 (? =C. capensis Sheard, 1939). --Hale, 1929: 213, figs 210-211 (fig. 210 =C. ramsayi (Haswell, 1879a); fig. 211 =Ceradocus sp. reported as C. rubromaculatus by Chilton, 1921) --Schellenberg, 1938: 154 (? =C. chevreuxi Sheard, 1939).

Type material. Wherabouts unknown.

Type locality. Port Jackson, New South Wales (33º51'S 151º16'E).

Description. Based on Sheard, 1939: 280, fig. 2, J.L. Barnard, 1972a: 220, fig. 129 and Myers, 1985: 101, figs 79-80. Head lateral cephalic lobes broad, truncated, with anteroventral notch or slit, anteroventral corner with acute/subacute tooth or subquadrate. Antenna 1 peduncular article 1 not geniculate with article 2, with 3 robust setae along posterior margin or with 4 or more robust setae along posterior margin. Antenna 2 peduncular article 2 cone gland reaching at least to end of peduncular article 3, or not reaching to end of peduncular article 3. Mandible palp present, well developed, article 3 cone-like, setose on distomedial margin, subequal to article 1 or shorter than article 1, article 2 longer than article 3, shorter than article 2. Maxilla 1 inner plate setose along entire inner margin.

Pereon. Gnathopod 1 not sexually dimorphic; coxa anteroventral corner produced, acute, 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. Gnathopod 2 sexually dimorphic, or not sexually dimorphic; subchelate; left and right gnathopods subequal in size; coxa posteroventral corner notch absent; merus with sharp posteroventral tooth; without strong concentration of setae, palm acute, convex (slightly), smooth, lined with robust setae, defined by posterodistal robust setae, without posteroventral corner; dactylus closing along palm, reaching end of palm. Peraeopod 5 basis posterior margin straight. Peraeopod 5 basis posteroventral corner with acute or subacute process. Peraeopod 6 coxa anterior lobe ventral margin not produced ventrally. Peraeopod 6 basis posteroventral corner with acute or subacute process. Peraeopod 6 propodus not expanded posterodistally. Peraeopod 7 basis posterior margin convex (slightly). Peraeopod 7 basis with posterior margin smooth or minutely castelloserrate, posteroventral corner with acute or subacute process. Peraeopod 7 propodus not expanded posterodistally.

Pleon. Pleonite 1 with dorsal serrations, without dorsodistal spines, not dorsally bicarinate. Pleonite 2 with dorsal serrations, without dorsodistal spines, not dorsally bicarinate. Pleonite 3 with dorsal serrations, without dorsodistal spines, dorsally smooth. Epimeron 1 anteroventral corner without curved spine. Epimera 1-2 posteroventral margin with 5 or more large or small or groups of spines above spine defining posteroventral corner. Epimeron 3 posterior margin serrate, posteroventral corner with small acute spine, posteroventral margin smooth or serrate. Urosomite 1 without dorsal carina, without a small dorsal hump, with dorsal serrations, with spines at midline, no conspicuous medial gape, not dorsally bicarinate. Urosomite 1 without posterodorsal spine. Urosomite 2 posterior margin with dorsal midline spine and serrations or serrate, without dorsolateral robust setae. Urosomite 3 without dorsal robust setae. Uropod 1 peduncle without distoventral spur. Uropod 3 exceeding 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). Telson cleft. Telson without robust setae on inner margins. Telson each lobe with 1 apical/subapical robust seta or each lobe with 2 apical/subapical robust setae, apical conical extension reaching scarcely one third along longest seta.

Habitat. Marine; living among algae.

Depth zone. Littoral.

Remarks. Specimens from Western Australia appear to have a notch in the middle of the palm of gnathopod 2. This feature is not present in all other records of this species.

Distribution. New South Wales: Norah Head (Sheard, 1939); Newcastle (Sheard, 1939); Port Stephens (Sheard, 1939); Port Jackson (Haswell, 1879a); Port Kembla and Eden (Sheard, 1939). Victoria: Port Phillip Bay (J.L. Barnard, 1972a). Western Australia: Favourite Islands, Cottesloe, Garden Island, Cockburn Sound (all J.L. Barnard, 1972a).

Extrinsic distribution. Spratley Islands, South China Sea; Fiji.

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