Bemlos australis ( Haswell, 1879 )

Myers, Alan A., 2009, Aoridae *, Zootaxa 2260 (1), pp. 220-278 : 231-234

Bemlos australis ( Haswell, 1879)

( Figs 9, 10)

Microdeuteropus (sic) australis Haswell, 1879: 271 , pl. 11, fig. 5.

Microdeutopus australis . — Haswell, 1882: 263.

Lemboides australis . — Stebbing, 1899: 350. — Stebbing, 1906: 601.

Bemlos australis . — Myers, 1988a: 188. — Myers, 1988b: 278, figs 11–13. — Lowry & Stoddart, 2003: 67 (catalogue).

Material examined. 1 male, AM P70599 (QLD 1622) ; 2 males, 4 females, AM P70751 (QLD 1645) ; 1 male, 1 female, AM P70841 (QLD 1666) ; 1 male, 1 female, AM P70912 (QLD 1672) , 1 male, AM P70934 (QLD 1688) ; 1 male, 1 female, AM P71335 (QLD 1778); 7 unsexed, AM P75576 (QLD 1900); many unsexed, AM P75577 (QLD 1922) .

Type locality. Port Jackson , New South Wales, Australia (~ 33°52'S 151°13'E) .

Description. Based on male, 4.0 mm, AM P70751 .

Head. Head lateral cephalic lobes apically truncate. Antenna 1 flagellum with 20 or less articles; accessory flagellum multiarticulate. Antenna 2 with few long setae. Lower lip with fine setae and stout setae. Maxilla 1 inner plate with 1 long pectinate apical seta. Mandible, palp article 3 longer than 2, posterior margin straight, with setae of two distinct lengths, long setae and an under-story of much shorter regularly spaced setae.

Pereon. Pereonites without sternal spines. Gnathopod 1 enlarged in males only; coxa weakly produced anterodistally, rounded; basis robust, twice as long as broad, posterodistal margin with one long seta; ischium anterior margin without flange, posterior margin with few setae; merus not greatly elongated, fused along its entire length with carpus, posterior margin with few setae without posterodistal spine; carpus one and one half length of propodus, with few setae, anterior margin with no spine, without an oblique row of long setae on inner face, posterior margin without spines; propodus anterior margin moderately setiferous, posterior margin straight, palm delimited from posterior margin, margin forming a broad excavate sinus, palm defined by strong posterodistal spine, without robust seta defining palm, with spine near base of dactylus, with subtriangular, apically subacute spine; dactylus less than half length of propodus, overlapping palm. Gnathopod 2 subchelate; basis anterodistal margin with flange, posterodistal margin without robust setae; with few setae along length of basis; carpus and propodus subequal in length, with short sparse setae; propodus with short dense setae, without robust seta or spine defining palm. Pereopod 3 without brush of long setae on merus. Pereopod 6 basis not produced posterodistally. Pereopod 7 more than 125% length of pereopod 6.

Pleon. Epimeron 3 posterodistal margin rounded. Uropod 1 rami subequal, peduncle much longer than broad, distoventral spine shorter than peduncle. Uropod 2 biramous; peduncle with distoventral spine equal in length with peduncle. Uropod 3 biramous, rami subequal, inner ramus less than twice length of peduncle. Telson with distal fine setae only.

Female (sexually dimorphic characters). Based on female, 4.2 mm, AM P70751 . Gnathopod 1 carpus subequal in length with propodus; propodus palm defined by rounded corner, with robust seta defining palm; dactylus much more than half length of propodus. Gnathopod 2 carpus shorter than propodus; propodus with robust seta defining palm.

Habitat. Among Posidonia , algae, in coral rubble, fine sands, on a breakwater.

Remarks. This species resembles B. triangulum Myers, 1988b , in male gnathopod 1 having the carpus longer than the propodus. It differs from that species however in its larger size, male gnathopod 1 with nonacute coxa, and uropod 2 with well developed distoventral spine.

Distribution. Australia. Queensland: Lizard Island ( Myers 1988b; current study). New South Wales: Port Jackson ( Haswell 1879), Twofold Bay ( Myers 1988b).