Transorchestia miranda ( Chilton, 1916 )

Hughes, Lauren E. & Lowry, James K., 2023, Review of New Zealand Coastal Talitroids with description of three new genera (Crustacea, Amphipoda, Senticaudata), Zootaxa 5268 (1), pp. 1-81 : 69-71

Transorchestia miranda ( Chilton, 1916)

( Figs. 62–63 , 67 )

Orchestia miranda Chilton, 1916: 354 .— Stephensen, 1935: 7.— Hurley, 1956: 163, figs. 69–102.— Shaw & Poore, 2016: 34. Transorchestia miranda .— Bousfield, 1982: 19.

Material examined. 2 specimens (15 mm, male illustrated; 16 mm), AM P.5744, Kaikoura , New Zealand (42°24′S 173°41′E) .

Type locality. Stephens Island , Cook Strait, New Zealand .

Size. Male 17.5 mm, female 14 mm.

Variation. Not significant.

Remarks. A study of the two available specimens added little additional information to what is known for this species however the male specimen at hand is of large body size, 17 mm, and shows sexual dimorphic pereopods 6 and 7 with an expanded merus and basis on both pereopods. The expanded merus and carpus of pereopods 6 and 7 is similar to Trans. serrulata , however these species are readily distinguishable by the gnathopods 1 and 2. In Trans. serrulata , gnathopod 1 has palmate setae on the carpus and propodus only, and male gnathopod 2 propodus palm is sinusoidal, while in T. miranda the gnathopod 1 has palmate lobes on merus, carpus and propodus with a convex gnathopod 2 palm.

Habitat. Supralittoral, on rocky shores.

Distribution. New Zealand. Cook Strait: Stephen Islands. South Island: Kaikoura ( Chilton 1916; Hurley 1956; current study).

Figures

FIGURE 62. Transorchestia miranda (Chilton, 1916) male, 15 mm, AM P.5714, Kaikoura, South Island, New Zealand. Scales, 0.5 mm.

FIGURE 63. Transorchestia miranda (Chilton, 1916) male, 15 mm, AM P.5714, Kaikoura, South Island, New Zealand. Scales, 0.5 mm.

FIGURE 67. Fieldguide to New Zealand Coastal Talitrids Bellorchestia quoyana (Milne Edwards, 1840), Aotearorchestia chathamensis (Hurley, 1956) gen. et comb. nov., A. telluris (Spence Bate 1862) comb. nov., Transorchestia serrulata (Dana, 1852a), T. miranda (Chilton, 1916) (Part 1 of 3).