Natatolana karkarook Bruce, 1986

Keable, Stephen J., 2006, Taxonomic Revision of Natatolana (Crustacea: Isopoda: Cirolanidae), Records of the Australian Museum 58 (2), pp. 133-244 : 195-196

Natatolana karkarook Bruce, 1986

Natatolana karkarook Bruce, 1986: 69 , figs. 44, 45.– Springthorpe & Lowry, 1994: 49.– Brusca et al., 1995: 80.– Bruce et al., 2002: 151.

Type material. Holotype: ♀, 20.8 mm, AM P30335 . Paratype: ♀, AM P30336. All examined. Type locality: Cairns Reef, Cooktown, Queensland, Australia, 15°42'S 145°33'E .

Material examined. Northern Territory: 3, NTM Cr 009861, Gove , 12°12'S 136°43'E, 0 m, R. Hanley et al., 20 Nov.1991 , RH91- 115. Queensland: manca, QM W18886 , Gulf of Carpentaria , 15°57'S 138°41.8'E, grab, 25 m, CSIRO, 11 Dec. 1990 .

Diagnosis. Interocular furrow: weakly developed, indistinct and not extending across the cephalon. Frontal lamina: lateral margins straight, parallel. Labrum: with acute laminar projection. Antenna: c. 0.16–0.22× as long as body, reaching to between the posterior of pereonite 1 and the posterior of pereonite 2. Coxal plates: furrows variously developed, incomplete and on coxae 2–3 only. Pleonite 4: apex rounded. Pleotelson: broad, length 0.76× basal width; anterodorsal depression absent; anterolateral margins almost straight and angling posteriorly toward the midline; posterolateral margins straight, markedly angled to anterolateral margins and meeting at an obtuse angle or convex; apex not produced, lateral margins converging smoothly to a point; with 8–12 RS. Pereopod 2: propodus with 1 RS on palm. Pereopod 3: propodus without RS on palm. Pereopods 5– 7: propodus short and robust on each pereopod. Pereopod 7: basis broad, width 0.55× length; distance between anterior margin and medial carina greater than between posterior margin and medial carina; posterior margin with setae on proximal half. Penes: absent, vasa deferentia opening flush to surface of sternite 7 (area around openings slightly raised but not forming flexible processes). Pleopod 2 appendix masculina: extending subequal with tip of endopod, 0.94× length of endopod; slender; margins bent slightly medially; apex not at angle to adjacent margins, bluntly rounded. Uropods: exopod slightly shorter than endopod, 0.85× the length of the endopod.

Variation. The holotype has 12 robust setae on the pleotelson margin, the paratype has nine and the male from Gove (NTM Cr009861) has eight.

Size. Adults to 20.8 mm.

Remarks. This is the first record of a male specimen of Natatolana karkarook . This species is unique in having an acute laminar projection on the labrum, the shape of the pleotelson coupled with the relatively short antennae are also distinctive and the mouthparts are unusual (as discussed in remarks for N. buzwilsoni ).

Distribution. Australia: Gove, Northern Territory; Gulf of Carpentaria; Cooktown, Queensland. Intertidal to 25 m depth.