Australian Amphipoda: Melitae

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

Elasmopus yunde J.L. Barnard, 1974

Elasmopus yunde J.L. Barnard, 1974: 23, figs 16-18. --Barnard & Barnard, 1983: 629.

Type material. HOLOTYPE: male, 4.8 mm, WAM 130-71.

Type locality. Point Peron, Western Australia.

Description. Based on J.L. Barnard, 1974: 23, figs 16-18. Head lateral cephalic lobes broad, truncated, 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, without robust setae along posterior margin; flagellum with 27 articles (about); accessory flagellum with 2 articles. Antenna 2 peduncular article 2 cone gland reaching at least to end of peduncular article 3; article 4 subequal to article 5; flagellum with 8-9 articles. Mandible palp present, well developed, article 3 strongly falcate, setose along concave medial margin, longer than article 1, article 2 longer 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, rounded, 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 or straight, defined by posterodistal corner, defined by posterodistal robust setae. Gnathopod 2 sexually dimorphic; subchelate; left and right gnathopods subequal in size; merus with subquadrate posteroventral corner; carpus compressed; propodus without medial depression, with strong setal bunch, palm extremely acute, convex, smooth, without robust setae, without posterodistal robust setae, without posteroventral corner; dactylus closing along palm, not reaching end of palm, apically blunt. Peraeopod 5 basis posterior margin straight. Peraeopod 5 basis posteroventral corner narrowly rounded or subquadrate. Peraeopod 6 coxa anterior lobe ventral margin slightly produced, truncated. 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 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 or serrate (minutely), 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; 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.

Habitat. Marine; living among intertidal algae.

Depth zone. Littoral.

Distribution. Western Australia: Point Peron (J.L. Barnard, 1974); Bush Bay (AM).

Australian geographic areas. South-western Australia.

Elasmopus yunde J.L. Barnard, 1972: 23, figs 16-18. --Barnard & Barnard, 1983: 629.

Pereon. Gnathopod 2 carpus short; setose, with sparse robust setae, defined by posterodistal robust setae; reaching end of palm, apically acute/subacute.

Pleon. Distribution. Western Australia: Point Peron (J.L. Barnard, 1972).

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'.