Orthoprotella australis ( Haswell, 1880 )

Guerra-García, José M., 2003, The Caprellidea (Crustacea: Amphipoda) from Mauritius Island, Western Indian Ocean, Zootaxa 232, pp. 1-24 : 18

Orthoprotella australis ( Haswell, 1880) ( Fig. 10 )

Protella australis Haswell, 1880: 276 , pl. 12, fig. 4; Mayer, 1890: 23. Orthoprotella australis Mayer, 1903: 35 –36, pl. 1, figs. 23–24, pl. 6, figs. 45, 47–49, pl. 9, figs. 14, 37, 57.

Material examined. WR: 6 males, 8 females, 18 juveniles, clinging on hydroids, 35 m, 27 July 2002.

Remarks. This species of Orthoprotella can be easily distinguished from the other species in the genus by the presence of two acute projections on the head. The species is being redescribed from specimens collected in New South Wales (Takeuchi, personal communication). Studying Mauritius this species has been found at depths of more than 20 meters in association with hydroids. In a study of the Caprellidea from the Great Barrier Reef, Guerra­García (personal observations) found many specimens of O. australis living on hydroids (mainly Macrorhynchia philippina Kirchenpauer, 1872 and Salacia sp.) and the tunicate Polycarpa sp. In the Northern Territory, Australia, O. australis was also found living on algae and sediments (Guerra­García, personal observations).

Figures

FIGURE 10. Orthoprotella australis (Haswell, 1880). Lateral view. A, male; B, female. Scale bar: 1 mm.