Uroctena Nicholls, 1926

Barnard, J. Laurens & Williams, W. D., 1995, The taxonomy of freshwater Amphipoda (Crustacea) from Australian fresh waters: Part 2, Records of the Australian Museum 47 (2), pp. 161-201 : 172-173

Uroctena Nicholls

Uroctena Nicholls, 1926: 106 .

Type species. Uroctena affinis Nicholls, 1926 , by original designation (not = Neoniphargus westralis Chilton, 1925 ).

For the generic diagnosis, additional description, characters of interspecific value, sexual attributes, and relationships, see Williams & Barnard (1988: 90-91).

Speciation. The new material at our disposal does not allow us to expand on our previous remarks concerning the extent and nature of speciation within the genus (Williams & Barnard, 1988: 90). Thus, we retain as valid the several species of Uroctena so far described despite the small differences between them. There is no doubt, however, that Uroctena setosa is very distinct from the group of U. westralis TODO affinis - whadjukia - yellandi .

Composition. With our description of a new species of Uroctena , the genus at present contains five species: U. affinis Nicholls , U. westralis (Chilton) , U. setosa Nicholls , U. yellandi Nicholls and U. whadjukia n.sp. A new key to enable separation of these species is given below.

Key to the Species of Uroctena

1. Antennae 1- 2 densely setose, setae long and drooping, telson cleft halfway, gnathopods of both sexes bearing long anterior setae on carpus and propodus, article 2 of male gnathopod 2lackingstoutspines ....................................................................................................Usetosa

--Antennae1-2poorly setose, setaeshortand stiff, telson cleft TODO TODO TODO TODO TODO 75+percent,gnathopodsof bothsexeslacking long anterior TODO TODO TODO TODO setaeoncarpus carpusand propodus, article2 ofmalegnathopod TODO TODO TODO TODO TODO TODO TODO TODO TODO

2. Article 2 of male gnathopod 2 with stout anterior spines

3. Article 2 of male gnathopod 2 with 4 sets (3- 4 each) of posterolateralspines U affinis

whadjukia

4. Article 2 of male gnathopod 2 with about 10-14 lateral spines, eyesabsent (andyoungof U affinis ) U westralis

-- Article 2 of male gnathopod 2 with about 6-8 lateral spines, eyes well developed but white (and young of