Dulichiella oahu, Published, 2007

Published, First, 2007, A revision of the tropical / temperate amphipod genus Dulichiella Stout, 1912, and the description of a new Atlantic genus Verdeia gen. nov. (Crustacea: Amphipoda: Melitidae), Zootaxa 1424, pp. 1-62 : 39-40

Dulichiella oahu sp. nov.

( Fig. 29)

Melita fresneli . –J.L. Barnard, 1955: 13.

Melita appendiculata . –J.L. Barnard, 1970: 161, figs 101–102. –J.L. Barnard, 1971: 85. – Barnard & Barnard, 1983: 247, fig. 45A.

Type material. Holotype male, 4.8 mm, USNM 151369 , off Barbers Point, Oahu , Hawaii, 30 m, wash of numerous coralline balls, J.L. Barnard, 29 January 1967.

Type locality. Off Barbers Point , Oahu, Hawaiian Islands, among dead coralline algae, 30 m depth .

Description. Based on J.L. Barnard, 1970: 161, figs 101–102. Body small. Head eyes round; lateral cephalic lobe broad, truncated, anteroventral corner with slender setae. Antenna 1 peduncular article 1 shorter than article 2, with 2 robust setae along posterior margin. Antenna 2 peduncular article 2 cone gland reaching at least to end of peduncular article 3; article 4 longer than article 5. Mandibular palp unknown.

Gnathopod 1 coxa anteroventral corner not produced, anterior margin straight, posteroventral corner notch present; carpus subequal in length to propodus; propodus small, linear, palm defined by posterodistal corner. Gnathopod 2 coxa posteroventral corner notch present; (larger) propodus distolateral crown with 3 rounded indistinct spines, palm straight, posterodistal corner produced, straight, with dactylus fitting into corner; dactylus apically blunt; (smaller) merus with sharp posteroventral spine; palm convex, with robust setae; dactylus with 1 or 2 setae on anterior margin. Pereopod 5 dactylar unguis anterior margin with 2 accessory spines. Pereopods 6–7 carpus and propodus with bunches of long slender setae. Pereopod 6 basis posterior margin straight; dactylar unguis anterior margin with 2 accessory spines. Pereopod 7 basis posterior margin straight.

Pleonite/urosomite dorsal spine formula (7-7-7-5-6-2). Pleonites 1–3 with sparse dorsal setae. Epimeron 1 posteroventral corner with small acute or subacute spine. Epimeron 2 posteroventral corner acute. Epimeron 3 posteroventral margin smooth. Urosomite 1 with spine at midline, no conspicuous medial gape. Urosomite 2 with two groups of 1–3 small dorsolateral robust setae. Urosomite 3 with two groups of small dorsal setae, with 2 dorsal spines. Uropod 3 outer ramus very long, about 2 x peduncle. Telson with dorsal robust setae.

Female (sexually dimorphic characters). Gnathopod 2 subequal in size, similar to smaller gnathopod 2 of male; palm slightly convex; dactylus posterior margin smooth. Pereopod 7 basis expanded, posterior margin convex and tapering distally.

Etymology. Named for Oahu in Hawaii.

Habitat. Marine epibenthic, living among corals, coralline algae and fleshy algae between 3 to 30 m depth.

Remarks. According to J.L. Barnard (1970) there were three specimens in the original series. None of these specimens is lodged in the Bishop Museum (Lu Eldredge, in litt.). One specimen from this collection is lodged in the National Museum of Natural History (Elizabeth Harrison-Nelson, in litt.) and this specimen is designated as the holotype. The other two specimens appear to be lost.

Dulichiella oahu is most similar to D. australis and D. tulear . The main differences between D. oahu and D. australis are antenna 1 peduncular article 1 with two robust setae in D. oahu and four robust setae in D. australis and the pereopodal dactyli which have two accessory spines in D. oahu and one accessory spine in D. australis . Dulichiella oahu differs from D. tulear in the pereopodal dactyli, which have two accessory spines in D. oahu and one in D. tulear and in the posteroventral margin of epimeron 3 which is smooth in D. oahu and minutely serrate in D. tulear .

Distribution. USA. Hawaii: off Ewa Beach, Oahu; off Barbers Point, Oahu; Kaneohe Bay, Oahu (J.L. Barnard, 1970).