Valettiopsis, Holmes, 1908

Horton, Tammy, 2004, Revision of the amphipod genus Valettiopsis Holmes, 1908 (Crustacea: Lysianassoidea), with the addition of three new species, Journal of Natural History 38 (14), pp. 1735-1755 : 1737

Key to the species of Valettiopsis

1 Pereon segments 5–7 and pleon segments 1–3 dentate dorsally.. V. multidentata

– Pereon segments 5–7 and pleon segments 1–3 smooth dorsally....... 2

2 Gnathopod 2 propodus robust, expanded, with concave palm, dactyl not reaching palm edge ( figure 6 )............... V. macrodactyla

– Gnathopod 2, propodus not as above.............. 3

3 Gnathopod 2, carpus elongate (length more than twice breadth), slender, distinctly longer than propodus ( figure 3 )................. 4

– Gnathopod 2, carpus not elongate (length less than twice breadth) or slender, only slightly longer than propodus ( figure 9 ).............. 6

4 Gnathopods 1 and 2, propodus with palms strongly oblique, urosome 1 tooth reduced, distal article of uropod 3 outer ramus very short (1/13 of proximal article) V. ruffoi

– Characters not as above................... 5

5 Gnathopod 2, propodus tapering distally, palm transverse, dactyls on pereopods 3–7 curved ( figure 1 ).................. V. dentata

– Gnathopod 2, propodus not tapered, palm oblique; dactyls on pereopods 3–7 elongate, straight ( figure 3 ).............. V. longidactyla

6 Urosome 1 tooth distinctly curved; pereopod 5 basis broad, expanded not tapering, pereopod 6–7 basis broad with slight tapering ( figure 11 )..... V. minuta

– Urosome 1 tooth straight or weakly sinuous; pereopod 5 basis narrow, not tapering (see Lincoln and Thurston, 1983: figure 3d ). Pereopod 6–7 basis broad; pereopod 7 basis tapering................... V. lincolni

Figures

FIG. 6. Valettiopsis macrodactyla, adult male, 16 mm.

FIG. 3. Valettiopsis longidactyla, sp. nov., holotype, 16.9 mm male.

FIG. 9. Valettiopsis minuta, sp. nov., holotype, 11.1 mm female.

FIG. 1. Valettiopsis dentata, gnathopods 1–2. Holotype, 6mm male.

FIG. 11. Valettiopsis minuta, sp. nov., holotype, 11.1 mm female.