Australian Amphipoda: Melitae

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

Ceradocus sellickensis Sheard, 1939

Ceradocus rubromaculatus. --Hale, 1927: 314. --Hale, 1929: 213 (except fig. 210 = C. ramsayi and fig. 211 = C. serrata). --Sheard, 1936: 177, fig. 4.

Ceradocus sellickensis Sheard, 1939: 278, fig. 1. --Barnard & Barnard, 1983: 616.

Type material. HOLOTYPE: male, SAM C2121.

Type locality. Sellicks Beach, Gulf St Vincent, South Australia.

Description. Based on Sheard, 1939: 278, fig. 1. 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, subequal in length to article 2, with 4 or more robust setae along posterior margin; flagellum with 23 articles (about); accessory flagellum with 20 articles (about). Antenna 2 peduncular article 2 cone gland reaching at least to end of peduncular article 3; article 4 longer than article 5. Mandible palp present, well developed, article 3 cone-like, setose on distomedial margin, shorter than article 1, article 2 longer than article 3, article 1 produced distally, 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 produced, acute, 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 (slightly), straight, defined by posterodistal corner, defined by posterodistal robust setae. Gnathopod 2 not sexually dimorphic; subchelate; left and right gnathopods subequal in size; coxa posteroventral corner notch absent; merus with sharp posteroventral tooth; carpus compressed; propodus without medial depression, without strong concentration of setae, palm nearly transverse, straight, 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 straight. Peraeopod 5 basis posteroventral corner narrowly rounded or subquadrate. Peraeopod 6 basis posterior margin straight. Peraeopod 6 basis posteroventral corner with acute or subacute process. Peraeopod 6 propodus not expanded posterodistally. Peraeopod 7 basis posterior margin straight. 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 margin serrate. Urosomite 1 without dorsal carina, without a small dorsal hump, with spines at midline, no conspicuous medial gape, not dorsally bicarinate. Urosomite 1 without posterodorsal spine. Urosomite 2 without dorsolateral robust setae. Urosomite 3 without dorsal robust setae. 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), 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. Marine.

Depth zone. Littoral.

Distribution. South Australia: Gulf St Vincent (Hale, 1927); Spencer Gulf (Sheard, 1939).

Australian geographic areas. Southern 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'.