Australian Amphipoda: Melitae

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

Parelasmopus ya J.L. Barnard, 1972

Parelasmopus ya J.L. Barnard, 1972a: 258, figs 150-152.

Type material. HOLOTYPE: male, 13.1 mm WAM 10-69.

Type locality. Cockburn Sound, Western Australia.

Description. Based on J.L. Barnard, 1972a: 258, figs 150-152. Head lateral cephalic lobes broad, truncated, with anteroventral 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 or with 4 or more robust setae along posterior margin; accessory flagellum with 2-4 articles. 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 rectolinear, with setae mostly terminal, subequal to article 1, article 2 shorter than article 3, article 1 curved, swollen distally, longer than article 2, at least 3 x as long as broad. Maxilla 1 inner plate with setae mainly terminal.

Pereon. Gnathopod 1 not sexually dimorphic; coxa anteroventral corner produced, rounded (slightly), 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, palm acute, convex, defined by posterodistal corner, defined by posterodistal robust setae. Gnathopod 2 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; 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 coxa anterior lobe ventral margin slightly produced, rounded. Peraeopod 6 basis posterior margin straight. 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, dorsally bicarinate. Pleonite 2 without dorsal serrations, without dorsodistal spines, 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 strongly produced acute spine, posteroventral margin serrate. Urosomite 1 without dorsal carina, without a small dorsal hump, without dorsal serrations, without spines or gape, 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 at least halfway along longest seta.

Habitat. Marine.

Depth zone. Littoral.

Distribution. Western Australia: Cockburn Sound (J.L. Barnard, 1972a).

Australian geographic areas. South-western Australia.

Type material. HOLOTYPE: male, 13.1 mm WAM10-69.

Pereon. Gnathopod 2 palm acute, convex (slightly), sculptured (slightly), lined with robust setae, without posterodistal robust setae, without posteroventral corner; apically blunt.

Pleon. Epimeron 3 posteroventral corner with small acute spine.

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'.