Gabophlias gabiae, Coleman, Oliver & Lowry, James K., 2012

Coleman, Oliver & Lowry, James K., 2012, Two new species of Gabophlias (Crustacea, Amphipoda, Phliantidae) from Australia, Zootaxa 3441, pp. 21-35 : 22-28

Gabophlias gabiae sp. nov.

( Figs 1–5)

Material examined. Holotype female, 4.5 mm, MV J60494 , west side of Harbour, Port Campbell, Victoria, Australia (38°37'30''S 142°59'30''E), 3.5 m depth, L. Avery, M. Toole & H. Arundel, 5 March 1996, Quadrat/ Scuba, VNPMS 59 5.

Type locality. West side of Harbour, Port Campbell, Victoria, Australia (38°37'30''S 142°59'30''E), 3.5 m depth.

Additional material examined. 2 females, 2 males, 1 juvenile, AM P 80323, 500 m east of Whaler's Point Lighthouse, Portland, Victoria, Australia (38°20'30.012"S 141°37'30"E), brown algae from bolder bottom, 10 m depth, R.T. Springthorpe & P.M. Berents, 1 May 1988, VIC-58; 9 specimens, AM P.88038, Henty Reef, Apollo Bay, (38°47'S 143°40'30"E), brown algae, 4.5 m depth, P.B. Berents & R.T. Springthorpe, 25 April 1988, VIC-11; 1 specimen, AM P.88039, Henty Reef, Apollo Bay (38°47'S 143°40'30"E), brown algae, 4.5 m depth, P.B. Berents & R.T. Springthorpe, 25 April 1988, VIC-7.

Etymology. This species is named for Gabriele Coleman, sister of the senior author.

Description. Based on female holotype, 4.5 mm. Habitus. Body ( Fig. 1a) dorsoventrally flat, oval in shape, coxal plates and appendages splayed. Pereonites relatively slender. Pleonite 3 longest, with a shallow middorsal elevation on pleonite 1. Pleonite 1 pointed posteromarginally. Head ( Fig. 1a, c) wider than long, lateral margins weakly concave, surpassed by coxa 1; with a short rounded rostrum; eyes small, rounded. Antenna 1 ( Fig. 1b) peduncle article 1 distally expanded; article 2 as wide as article 1, with rounded medial lobe, bordered with short setae, drawn out distally; article 3 short, distally rounded; flagellum uniarticulate, inserted subterminally into peduncular article 3, with an apical tuft of long aesthetascs. Antenna 2 ( Fig. 1d) peduncle article 4 expanded distally, anterior and posterior margins straight; article 5 slightly shorter than article 4, margins convex; flagellum 4-articulate. Upper lip ( Fig. 2b) rounded distally. Mandibles ( Fig. 1e) both with dentate incisor. Maxilla 1 ( Fig. 1f) with 5 distal robust setae on outer plate, inner plate missing (?), palp not developed. Maxilla 2 ( Fig. 2a) inner plate more than twice as wide as outer plate, both plates with few short stout setae apicomarginally. Maxilliped ( Fig. 2d) inner plate apically truncate, with nodular setae distally; outer plate wide and rounded with few setae mediomarginally; palp 4-articulate, articles 2 and 3 slightly produced medially with long slender setae; article 3 as wide as article 2; article 4 pointed.

Pereon. Pereopod 1 ( Fig. 2c) coxa subtriangular; basis expanded posterodistomarginally; ischium subequal in length to merus; carpus expanded distally, with a group of stout setae anterodistally; propodus anteroproximally with a field of stout setae, posterior margin proximally roundly produced, with 3 stout robust setae halfway between carpus and dactylus and additional robust seta distally(3+1 arrangement); dactylus falcate. Pereopod 2 a b c d e

f a b c d e f a b c a b c b

a c d ( Fig. 2f) coxa subrectangular; basis to dactylus similar to that of pereopod 1, but only 2+1 robust setae on propodus posteromarginally. Pereopod 3 ( Fig. 3a) coxa subrectangular, but wider than that of pereopod 2; basis distally expanded; ischium subequal to merus; merus expanded anterodistomarginally; carpus wider than long; propodus tapering distally, produced proximoposteromarginally, with 2+1 robust setae; dactylus falcate. Pereopod 4 ( Fig. 3b, c) coxa subquadrate with a posteroproximomarginal excavation; basis subrectangular; merus to dactylus similar to those of pereopod 3, but with a 3+1 arrangement of robust setae on propodus. Pereopod 5 ( Fig. 4a) coxa wider than long, bilobed, anterior lobe wider and slightly longer than posterior one; basis ovoid with long ventral lobe; ischium posterior margin half as long as anterior one; merus twice as wide as ischium, distally expanded, especially posterodistomarginally; carpus wider than long, distally expanded; propodus tapering distally, anteroproximally lobate and 3+1 robust setae; dactylus falcate. Pereopod 6 ( Fig. 4b) coxa similar in shape to that of pereopod 5 but smaller; basis as wide as long, posterior lobe wider than that of pereopod 5; merus and propodus similar in shape as for pereopod 5, but wider. Pereopod 7 ( Fig. 4c) similar to pereopod 6 but basis somewhat smaller.

Pleon. Pleopod 1 ( Fig. 5a) with slender peduncle, 6 coupling hooks on inner margin; rami equal. Pleopod 2 ( Fig. 5c) peduncle subtriangular, medially expanded and tapering, with 5 coupling hooks distally, inner ramus slightly shorter than outer. Pleopod 3 ( Fig. 5d) peduncle shorter than wide, medially narrowly extended with 4 coupling hooks; inner ramus reduced to a small scale, outer ramus about 6 × the length of inner ramus.

Uropod 1 ( Fig. 5b) peduncle slightly shorter than outer ramus; inner ramus 1/3 of outer ramus and half the width. Uropod 2 ( Fig. 5b) peduncle half the length of that of uropod 1; outer ramus 2.5 × as long as inner. Uropod 3 ( Fig. 5b) mostly covered by telson; peduncle about 2 as long as wide; only one slender ramus present, 3 × as long as wide. Telson ( Fig. 5b) longer than wide, convex lateromarginally, tapering distally.

Remarks. For differences to Gabophlias olono and Gabophlias kerstinae sp. nov. see table 1.

Distribution. Australia: Victoria.