Amphipoda (Crustacea) from Palau, Micronesia: Families Maeridae and Melitidae Myers, A. A. Zootaxa 2016 4170 3 451 474 [151,434,151,177] Malacostraca Melitidae Elasmopus Animalia Amphipoda 4 455 Arthropoda species laminischia sp. nov.   Type material.Holotype male, 3.5 mm(OUMNH.ZC. 2002-24-144), Uchelbeluu Reef, rubble reef slope, from  Galaxea fascicularis(Linnaeus, 1767)( Scleractinia: Oculinidae), - 3 mdepth; 07°15.644'N 134°32.392'E; leg. S. De Grave & C. Burras, 25 May 2002.  Paratypes. 3 females( OUMNH.ZC.  2002-24-145), same data as holotype.   FIGURE 4.  Elasmopus laminischia  sp. nov., male paratype, Uchelbeluu Reef, Palau.   FIGURE 5.  Elasmopus laminischia  sp. nov., male and female paratypes, Uchelbeluu Reef, Palau.  Other material.1 female (OUMNH.ZC. 2002-24-146), Lighthouse Reef, outer side, from dead  Acroporacolony overgrown with red filamentous algae, - 25 mdepth; 07°16.615'N, 134°27.606'E; leg. S. De Grave & C. Burras, 21 May 2002; 1 male, 1 female (OUMNH.ZC. 2002-24-147), Lighthouse Reef, outer side, from rubble (mainly  Acroporaplates and bushy forms, heavily encrusted), - 5 mdepth; 07°16.615'N, 134°27.606'E; leg. S. De Grave & C. Burras, 21 May 2002; 3 females (OUMNH.ZC. 2002-24-148), BeluuLukes Reef, eastern side, from consolidated rubble, 10 mdepth; 07°17.530'N, 134°30.870'E; leg. S. De Grave & C. Burras, 19 May 2002; 1 male (OUMNH.ZC. 2002-24-149), BeluuLukes Reef, eastern side, from heavily encrusted loose rubble, - 5 mdepth; 07°17.530'N, 134°30.870'E; leg. S. De Grave & C. Burras, 20 May 2002; 1 male, 1 female (OUMNH.ZC. 2002-24- 150), BeluuLukes Reef, drop off, - 15mdepth; from  Melophlus sarasinorumThiele, 1899(Porifera: Ancorinidae); 07°17.530'N, 134°30.870'E; leg. S. De Grave & C. Burras, 2 June 2002.   FIGURE 6.  Elasmopus laminischia  sp. nov., male paratype, Uchelbeluu Reef, Palau.    Typelocality. Uchelbeluu Reef, Palau, 07°15.644'N 134°32.392'E.   Etymology.From ‘ lamina’(latin = blade) referring to the blade-like extension on the inner face of the ischium of the male gnathopod 2.   Description.Based on male holotype, 3.5 mm.  Head. Headwith sub-ocular notch; eye round. Antenna 1a little over half body length; peduncular articles 1 and 2 subequal in length; article 3 about half length of article 2; accessory flagellum with one article; primary flagellum subequal in length with peduncle, with 18 articles. Antenna 2weak, less than half length of antenna 1; peduncular articles 4 and 5 subequal in length, flagellum subequal in length with peduncular article 5, with 6 articles. Mouthpartsof typical  Elasmopusform; mandibular palp articles 2 and 3 subequal; article 3 falcate.  Pereon. Gnathopod 1coxa with anterodistal extension; basis stout, weakly expanded distally; carpus and propodus slender, sub-equal, palm very oblique; dactylus fitting palm. Gnathopod 2coxa subquadrate; basis greatly expanded distally with rounded anterodistal lobes; ischium with large blade-like blunt and irregular-ended expansion on the anterior inner face; carpus very reduced, cup-shaped; propodus elongate, almost parallel-sided; palm with two acute spines separated by subquadrate excavation; dactylus overlapping palm. Pereopods 3–4coxa subovate; propodus with serrate spine opposing dactylus; dactylus less than half length of propodus with protrusion on posterior margin. Pereopod 5basis subquadrate, posterior margin with large weakly concave, weakly serrated, posterodistal corner expanded. Pereopod 6basis posterior margin with large sub-straight, weakly serrated flange. Pereopod 7basis posterior margin with large convex, serrated flange.   FIGURE 7.  Elasmopus laminischia  sp. nov., male paratype, Uchelbeluu Reef, Palau.  Pleon. Epimeron 1with weak spine on posterodistal corner. Epimeron 2with strong spine on posterodistal corner. Epimeron 3posterodistal corner with 5 spines. Uropod 1peduncle sub-equal in length with rami, with numerous robust setae and a long terminal stout robust seta; rami sub-equal in length, Uropod 2peduncle shorter than rami; inner ramus stouter and longer than outer ramus. Uropod 3inner ramus shorter and much more slender than outer ramus.  Telsonas broad as long, distal lobes rounded, each lobe with one long and one short robust seta.  Female(sexually dimorphic characters). Based on female, 3.6 mm. Gnathopod 2basis relatively slender; carpus long sub-triangular; propodus longer than carpus; palm oblique, weakly convex; dactylus fitting palm.  Habitat.Coral rubble.   Remarks.This species resembles  E. hooheno Barnard, 1970, from Hawaii, but differs in the male gnathopod 2 inwhich the spine on the centre of the palm is acute (blunt-ended in  E. hooheno) and in the blade-like truncated projection of the inner face of the ischium. It also differs in the strongly scalloped posterior margin of the epimeron 3 (not or weakly scalloped in  E. hooheno).   Distribution.Known only from Palau. 1315044593 [579,1400,330,355] 2002 2024 2002 OUMNH 4 455 3 3 paratype 1315044592 [199,951,1474,1499] Palau 7.260733 Uchelbeluu Reef 1 134.53987 6 457 1 holotype