Parelasmopus cf. suensis ( Haswell, 1879 )

HUGHES, L. E., 2011, New species of Hoho, Mallacoota and Parelasmopus (Maeridae: Amphipoda) from Australian waters, Zootaxa 2955 (1), pp. 1-79 : 76-77

Parelasmopus cf. suensis ( Haswell, 1879)

Megamoera suensis Haswell, 1879 b: 335 , pl. 21, fig. 5. — Miers, 1884: 317. — Springthorpe & Lowry, 1994: 32 (catalogue).

Megamoera haswelli . Miers, 1884: 318.

Parelasmopus suluensis . — Stebbing, 1888: 1029, pl. 100. — Stebbing, 1906: 442.

Elasmopus suensis . — Stebbing, 1906: 442.

Parelasmopus suensis . —J.L. Barnard, 1974: 143. — Berents, 1983: 138, figs 28, 29. — Lowry & Stoddart, 2003: 186. — Lowry & Hughes, 2009: 695–698 , figs 29, 30, Pl. 4G).

not Megamoera suensis Haswell, 1885: 103 , pl. 15, figs 1–4 (= Hamimaera hamigera ( Haswell, 1879 b) fide Stebbing, 1906, but see Stebbing, 1910 a: 600).

Type locality. Sue Island , Torres Strait, Australia .

Material examined. Cocos (Keeling) Islands. 1 female, 4 juveniles, AM P.81825, "Cabbage Patch" dive site, near Horsburgh Island (12°05'45"S 96°50'32"E), 10 m, rubble, 11 October 2008, coll. J.K. Lowry ( MI WA 826 ); 1 female, AM P.81832, "Manta Ray Corner" dive site, west of Direction Island (12°05'21"S 96°52'23"E), 13.6 m, coarse rubble, 8 October 2008, coll. L.E. Hughes and K.B. Attwood ( MI WA 791 ); 1 juvenile, AM P.81833, "Surf Shack Drift" dive site, western side of West Island (12°09'35"S 96°48'59"E), 17 m, rubble outside of cave, 15 October 2008, coll. J.K. Lowry ( MI WA 858 ); 1 female and 2 juveniles, AM P.81826, "Two Trees" dive site, western side of West Island (12°09'35"S 96°48'59"E), 10.8 m, Acropora sp. plate rubble, 15 October 2008, coll. L.E. Hughes and K.B. Attwood ( MI WA 854 ); 1 female, AM P.81828, north-east corner of the lagoon (12°06'18"S 96°51'11"E), 3.5 m, calcareous green algae Halimeda sp. clusters in seagrass beds (cf Thalassia hemprichii ), 10 October 2008, coll. L.E. Hughes ( MI WA 815 ); 2 males, 2 females, 3 juveniles, AM P.81829, north-east corner of the lagoon (12°06'18"S 96°51'11"E), 3 m, seagrass base and stems covered in epiphytes (cf Thalassia hemprichii ), 10 October 2008, coll. J.K. Lowry ( MI WA 810 ); 3 juveniles, AM P.81830, north-east corner of the lagoon, (12°06'18"S 96°51'11"E), 3 m, dead seagrass beds (cf Thalassia hemprichii ), 10 October 2008, coll. J.K. Lowry ( MI WA 811 ); 1 female, 1 juvenile, AM P.81827, off West Island Jetty (12°05'15"S 96°50'14"E), 2 m, brown alga Padina sp. , 14 October 2008, coll. L.E. Hughes and J.K. Lowry ( MI WA 841 ); 2 juvenile males, 1 female, 1 juvenile, AM P.81824, Turks Reef (12°06'44"S 96°49'43"E), 3.8 m, sticks of rubble and algae, 10 October 2008, coll. L.E. Hughes ( MI WA 818 ); 1 juvenile male, AM P.81831, Turks Reef (12°06'44"S 96°49'43"E), 3.8 m, brown algae Turbinaria sp. and rubble, 10 October 2008, coll. L.E. Hughes ( MI WA 823 ) .

onite 7 are absent or greatly reduced in the juvenile specimens and well developed in adults. This feature was not observed in previous collections of P. suensis . Other characters which depart from P. suensis original description include long stiff setae on the pereopods 5 to 7 basis and a mid-dactylar tooth in the male gnathopod 2 (the latter possibly a hyperadult feature, see remarks for H. tricarinata sp. nov.). The male gnathopod 2 propodus palm angle is slightly more at a right angle with the dactylus closing onto a medial shelf similar to that figured by Sivaprakasam (1969 a) for P. albidus . The relationship between P. albidus , P. setiger , P. suensis and P. suluensis is difficult to assess due to limited description in the literature and lost material. These species all occur within the Indo-Pacific and are a closely related morphological complex. Material here is assigned as a cf until historic taxa and development with growth stage can be more thoroughly assessed.

Distribution. Queensland: Sue Island, Torres Strait ( Haswell 1879 b); Lizard Island, Great Barrier Reef ( Berents, 1983; Lowry & Hughes 2009); Cocos (Keeling) Island (current study).