Deutella californica Mayer, 1890

GUERRA-GARCÍA, J. M., 2003, Revision of the genus Deutella (Crustacea: Amphipoda: Caprellidea) with description of a new species, redescription of Deutella venenosa Mayer, 1890 and a key to the species of Deutella, Journal of Natural History 37 (9), pp. 1059-1084 : 1062

Deutella californica Mayer, 1890

(figure 2) Deutella californica Mayer, 1890: 27–28 , pl. 1, figures 3, 4, pl. 3, figures 15, 16, pl. 5, figure 18;

Dougherty and Steinberg, 1953: 44; 1954: 169, 171, figure 82f; Steinberg and Dougherty,

1957: 279–281, figures 15, 21–23, 28; McCain, 1968: 54, figure 52; McCain and Steinberg,

1970: 48; Laubitz, 1970: 16–18, figures 3, 26.

Material examined. Seven males, three females, one juvenile, syntypes MCZ 1059 , Cape Mendocino , California, 5 July 1860 ; three males, one female (non-types), CMNC 1989-0944 , Tillamook , Oregon, 16 August 1966 ; one male (non-type), USNM 42667 Point Mugu , California, 5 December 1962 .

Distribution. Type locality: Cape Mendocino, California. Other localities: Monterey Bay and Mussel Point, California; San Juan area, Washington; Oregon, Washington and Vancouver Island; Juan de Fuca Strait, B.C., southern Prince William Sound, Alaska.

Ecology. Collected from Obelia dichotoma (Linnaeus, 1758) on caparace and legs of Loxorhynchus grandis Stimpson, 1857 (ca 10–15 m depth). Also collected from flat fine sand, sandstone and shale bedrock.

Remarks. The shape of the gnathopod 2 propodus in males is the best characteristic to differentiate easily this species among the remaining species of Deutella . Deutella californica was originally described by Mayer from Cape Mendocino, California and later reported from Monterey Bay by Dougherty and Steinberg (1953). Steinberg and Dougherty (1957) reported it as occurring at ‘probably Port Arkansas, Texas’. As has been pointed out by McCain (1968) and Laubitz (1970), the Texas locality record for this species is very doubtful; it is probable that Deutella californica is endemic to the Pacific.