Wonga wonga, wonga, 2002

Lowry, J. K. & Stoddart, H. E., 2002, The Amaryllididae of Australia (Crustacea: Amphipoda: Lysianassoidea), Records of the Australian Museum 54, pp. 129-214 : 196-199

Wonga wonga n.sp.

Figs. 62–65

Type material. HOLOTYPE, female, 6.2 mm, ovigerous (2 eggs), AM P36871; 100 km northeast of North Point , Flinders Island , eastern Bass Strait, Australia, 38°52.6'S 148°26.5'E, 140 m, fine sand, epibenthic sled, R. Wilson, 15 November 1981, RV Tangaroa , stn BSS 170S.

Type locality. 100 km northeast of North Point , Flinders Island, eastern Bass Strait, Australia, 38°52.6'S 148°26.5'E, 140 m, depth .

Description. Based on holotype female, 6.2 mm, AM P36871. Head much deeper than long, anterior margin with notch extended into a slit; rostrum absent; eye present, elongate, reniform. Antenna 1 peduncular article 1 not ball-shaped proximally, distal margin with small medial spine; peduncular article 2 medium length; flagellum with callynophore, calceoli absent.Antenna 2 flagellum about as long as that of antenna 1, without calceoli. Mouthpart bundle conical. Epistome/upper lip almost straight (lateral view). Mandible lacinia mobilis a stemmed, distally-cusped blade; accessory setal row with intermediate setae; palp article 2 with 2 posterodistal setae, article 3 without A3-seta. Maxilliped outer plate with distal margin smooth, medial margin without notch.

Gnathopod 1 carpus subequal in length to propodus (0.9×); propodus, posterior margin without robust setae. Gnathopod 2 palm transverse, without lateral robust setae, with 1 medial robust seta. Pereopods 3 and 4 merus and carpus without setal fringe. Pereopod 4 coxa with anterior and posterior margins subparallel, anteroventral corner rounded. Pereopods 5–7 with distal articles short, dactyls short and stocky. Pereopod 5 basis expanded posteriorly, rounded. Pereopod 7 basis subquadrate, posteroventral corner subquadrate, posteroventral margin straight.

Epimeron 3 posterior margin smooth, with notch well above rounded posteroventral corner. Uropod 1 peduncle dorsolateral margin with 5 robust setae; outer ramus without large spines between robust setae. Uropod 2 inner ramus not constricted. Uropod 3 rami clasper-like; without plumose setae; outer ramus 1-articulate. Telson moderately cleft (about 32%).

Etymology. The species takes its name from the Port Jackson tugboat Wonga .

Remarks. The telson is shortened and only slightly cleft in Wonga wonga , and the rami of the third uropods are modified into a clamp-like structure, conditions which might be associated with a sedentary life-style. These modifications make W. wonga a distinctive species, but unfortunately nothing is known of its behaviour and little more of its habitat.

Habitat. Wonga wonga is known from only one collection, on a fine sand bottom.

Distribution. Bass Strait, southeastern Australia; 140 m depth.

Lowry & Stoddart: Australian Amaryllididae (Amphipoda) 199