Australian Amphipoda: Melitae

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

Quadrimaera viridis (Haswell, 1879)

Moera viridis Haswell, 1879b: 333, pl. 21, fig. 2.

Elasmopus viridis. --Stebbing, 1906: 445. --Stebbing, 1910a: 643. --Sheard, 1937: 24.

Maera viridis. --Chilton, 1916b: 362, figs 3-4 (in part, part =M. incerta Chilton, 1883). --Chilton, 1921: 73. --J.L. Barnard, 1972a: 227, figs 133-135.

Maera inaequipes. --Hale, 1929: 214, fig. 212.

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

not Elasmopus viridis. --Chevreux, 1908: 482 (unconfirmed). --Stephensen, 1927: 342 (probably =M. incerta Chilton, 1883).

Type material. SYNTYPES: male, 4 micro-slides, AM P25470 (labelled as co-type by K. Sheard, 1939); SYNTYPES (probable): 15 specimens, AM P3485 (Old Collection, labelled as types by K. Sheard, 1939).

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

Description. Based on J.L. Barnard, 1972a: 227, figs 133-135. 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 10 articles; accessory flagellum with 6-7 articles. Antenna 2 peduncular article 2 cone gland not reaching to end of peduncular article 3; article 4 longer than article 5; flagellum with 6 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 not produced; 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 not sexually dimorphic; subchelate; left and right gnathopods subequal in size; merus with subquadrate posteroventral corner; carpus compressed; propodus without medial depression, without strong concentration of setae, palm nearly transverse, straight, smooth, lined with robust setae, without posterodistal robust setae, defined by posteroventral tooth (small); dactylus closing along palm, reaching end of palm, apically blunt. Peraeopod 5 basis posterior margin straight. Peraeopod 5 basis posteroventral corner broadly rounded. Peraeopod 6 coxa anterior lobe ventral margin not produced ventrally. Peraeopod 6 basis posterior margin straight. 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 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, 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 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, or Continental shelf (2 to 50 m).

Distribution. Queensland: Port Denison (AM). New South Wales: Split Solitary Island; Coff's Harbour (both AM); Lord Howe Island (Chilton, 1916); Box Head, Broken Bay; east of Long Reef; east of Port Jackson (all AM); Port Jackson (Haswell, 1879; Chiton, 1916); east of Malabar; Bass Point; Twofold Bay (all AM). Victoria: Port Phillip (J.L. Barnard, 1972a); Tasmania: eastern slope of Bass Strait (Chilton, 1921). South Australia: Pearson Islands; Point Noarlunga; West Island (all J.L. Barnard, 1972a). Western Australia: Cottesloe; Middleton Beach, Albany (all J.L. Barnard, 1972a).

Australian geographic areas. South-eastern Australia, or Southern Australia, or South-western Australia.

Pereon. Gnathopod 2 sculptured, lined with robust setae or with sparse robust setae, defined by posteroventral tooth.

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'.