Bairdoppilata sp. 2

(Figs. 12–13)

Material. Twelve specimens, including six females and six juveniles representing two instars.

Dimensions. Adult female specimen 3966F, length 869 µm, height 547 µm. See also Table 1 and Figures 2 and 4.

Descriptive comments. Carapace semicircular in lateral outline, nearly symmetrical (anterior to posterior), with continuously curved, high-arched dorsal margin, lacking angles or sinuosities; greatest height 0.64 of length, located at 0.48 of length; anterodorsal corner not distinguishable, located approximately at 0.30 of length and 0.93 of height; posterodorsal corner not distinguishable, located at approximately 0.67 of length and 0.93 of height; anterodorsal brim located at 0.54 of height; posterodorsal brim located at 0.45 of height; greatest height of ventral indentation located at 0.41 of length and 0.09 of height. Slope (measured from horizontal) of mid-dorsal margin 0o, of anterodorsal margin 39o, of posterodorsal margin 45o, of dorso-caudal margin 44o, of hinge 3o. Very weakly caudate, with barely distinguishable posterodorsal change in slope; length of caudal process 0.06 of length. Surface nearly smooth, with fine microgranular texture, no visible punctae; brown pigmentation over much of central lateral surface. Striate hinge, well developed plumose setae.

Comparisons. B. sp. 2 is approximately the same size as B. alcyonicola, B cratericola, and B. geelongensis and is at the lower end of the published range for B. angolensis (Fig. 4). The high-arched, non-caudate to very weakly caudate lateral outline is shared with B. angolensis and B. balihaiensis (group 2), but both of those species have more distinctly peaked mid-dorsal angles and somewhat subtriangular outlines. All members of group 3 ( B. alcyonicola, B. cratericola, B. cushmani) have a more sinuous dorsal margin with more prominent caudal process. The surface of B. sp. 2 appears to be smooth, lacking the distinctly punctate texture of these and most species of Bairdoppilata .