Sophrosyne ruffoi, Lowry & Stoddart, 2010

Lowry, J. K. & Stoddart, H. E., 2010, Sophrosynidae, a new family in the Lysianassoidea (Crustacea: Amphipoda) with a revision of the genus Sophrosyne, Zootaxa 2370 (1), pp. 1-35 : 30-33

Sophrosyne ruffoi sp. nov.

Sophrosyne hispana . — Ruffo, 1975: 446. — Diviacco & Ruffo, 1989: 550 (in part), figs. 376, 377.

Type material. HOLOTYPE, female, 4 mm, MVRCr 1353-1357, Secca Lo Bianco , Gulf of Naples, Mediterranean Sea (approx. 40°45’N 14°15’E), 180–190 m, brown algae and fine sand, 1 August 1970, U. Schiecke (not examined, material of Ruffo (1975) as S. hispana ).

Type locality. Secca Lo Bianco , Gulf of Naples, Mediterranean Sea (approx. 40°45’N 14°15’E), 180–190 m.

Etymology. The species is named for Professor Sandro Ruffo, who first made known this Mediterranean material and has contributed so much to our knowledge of Mediterranean amphipods.

Diagnostic description. Head lateral cephalic lobe small, narrowly rounded; eyes apparently absent. Antenna 1 peduncular article 1 short, length 1.3 x breadth; accessory flagellum medium length, 0.47 x primary flagellum, article 1 short, 1.8 x article 2; flagellum 7-articulate, without callynophore. Antenna 2 peduncular article 3 0.5 x article 4; flagellum 7-articulate. Mandible incisors with straight margins; palp article 2 slender, 1 x article 3, without A2-setae, without D2-setae, article 3 length 5.8 x breadth, without D3-setae, with 4 apical E3-setae. Maxilla 1 outer plate with setal-teeth in a 2/0 arrangement. Maxilla 2 inner plate narrow, outer plate broader; inner plate length 0.6 x outer plate. Maxilliped inner plate subrectangular, without apical nodular robust setae; outer plate submarginal setae short, simple; palp article 2 slender, length 2.4 x breadth, 1.2 x article 3, article 3 slender, length 2.3 x breadth, dactylus with unguis absent. Gnathopod 1 basis length 1.7 x breadth, anterior margin with slender setae; ischium length 0.9 x breadth; merus, posterior margin lined with long slender setae; carpus length 0.5 x propodus; propodus length 1.7 x breadth, posterior margin slightly concave, with robust setae, palm margin straight, posterodistal corner with produced subacute spine without setae. Gnathopod 2 minutely subchelate; ischium length 3.4 x breadth; carpus very long, length 4.2 x breadth, posterior margin straight; propodus subrectangular, long, length 2.8 x breadth; palm transverse, with concave, smooth margin. Pereopod 3 merus weakly expanded anteriorly. Pereopod 4 merus weakly expanded anteriorly. Pereopod 5 basis moderately expanded posteriorly; merus moderately expanded posteriorly. Pereopod 6 coxa small, strongly lobate posteriorly; merus slightly expanded posteriorly. Pereopod 7 basis posterior margin slightly rounded, minutely crenate, posteroventral margin rounded, posteroventral lobe not extending beyond ischium; merus not expanded posteriorly; propodus without setae along anterior margin. Epimeron 3 posterior margin with strong upturned spine above subquadrate posteroventral corner. Urosomite 1 with rounded boss, without lateral flange. Uropod 1 rami subequal in length; outer ramus with 3 dorsal robust setae; inner ramus with 1 dorsal robust seta. Uropod 2 rami subequal in length; outer ramus with robust setae. Uropod 3 peduncle length 1.1 x breadth; rami subequal in length. Telson as long as broad, length 1 x breadth, moderately cleft (50%), distal margins incised, with 1 apical slender setae on each lobe.

Remarks. Sophrosyne ruffoi shares with S. moorei the absence of a small seta on the posterodistal corner of the propodus of gnathopod 1, an angled posteroventral corner with strong upturned tooth on epimeron 3 and a moderately cleft telson. Sophrosyne ruffoi differs from S. moorei in having the posterior margin of the merus of gnathopod 1 lined with long slender setae and robust setae along the posterior margin of the propodus and in having the posterior lobe of coxa 6 strongly lobate.

Sophrosyne ruffoi shares with S. inverarae robust setae along the posterior margin of the propodus of gnathopod 1, gnathopod 2 minutely subchelate, the posterior lobe of coxa 6 strongly lobate, an angled posteroventral corner with strong upturned tooth on epimeron 3 and a moderately cleft telson. Sophrosyne ruffoi differs from S. inverarae in the absence of A2-, D2- and D3-setae on the mandibular palp and in the absence of a small seta on the posterodistal corner of the propodus of gnathopod 1.

Distribution. Gulf of Naples, Mediterranean Sea, in 180-190 m depth.