Platytyphlops bamberi n. sp.

(Figs 54–55)

Type material. Holotype: subadult female, NIWA 120051, 44°30’S, 174°18.6’E, 760 m, NZOI station S147, Chatham Rise, New Zealand . Paratype: subadult female, dissected, NIWA 120052, collected with holotype .

Diagnosis. Carapace without lateral ridges, thickly covered in large spines dorsal of marginal carina, with sparser smaller spines ventral of marginal carina, marginal carina dentate, ridge absent on pseudorostrum; eyelobe without lenses or timidities, with medial line of spines. Antennule article 1 not expanded; accessory flagellum equal to main flagellum length. Telson 0.7 uropod peduncles, with 3 terminal setae, central seta short. Uropod peduncles with 15 medial setae. Adult male unknown.

Description. Holotype subadult female, NIWA 120051; paratype subadult female, NIWA 120052.

Subadult female, 11.8 mm. Carapace thickly covered with spines dorsal of marginal carina, with smaller sparser spines ventral of marginal carina, posterior dorsolateral expansion, sharp dorsal crest on frontal lobe continuing onto eyelobe; pseudorostral lobes 0.3 carapace length; eyelobe 0.07 carapace length, with medial line of spines; carapace 1.4 length of pereonites; pereonites with spines dorsally; pleonites with dorsal small spines (Fig. 54 A–B).

Paratype subadult female, NIWA 120052 .

Antennule peduncle article 1 subequal to articles 2 and 3 together, margin with spines, with plumose setae; article 2 1.3 article 3 length, without spines, with plumose setae; article 3 with plumose setae; main flagellum of 7 articles, shorter than peduncle, with simple setae and 2 small aesthetascs terminally; accessory flagellum of 4 articles, with simple setae (Fig. 54C).

Antenna of 4 articles; article 1 without spines, unarmed; article 2 with 6 pappose and 1 simple setae; article 3 with 2 pappose setae; article 4 2.0 length of article 3, with 2 small simple setae terminally (Fig. 54D).

Mandible navicular, with 11 microserrate setae medially (Fig. 54E).

Maxillule with 2 endites; outer endite with 8 stout setae; inner endite with 3 simple and 1 tricuspid setae; palp with 2 setae (Fig. 54F).

Maxilla not seen.

Maxilliped 1 basis produced distally as broad lobe, medial margin with 3 pappose and 2 hook setae, 1 stout seta distally; ischium absent; merus with 2 plumose setae laterally; carpus 1.3 merus length, with plumose and comb setae medially, plumose seta laterally; propodus 0.8 carpus length, with plumose setae; dactylus 0.6 propodus length, with simple setae (Fig. 54G).

Maxilliped 2 basis equal to all other articles together, medial margin with 4 pappose setae, distal margin with 2 pappose and 3 plumose setae; ischium unarmed; merus 3.0 ischium length, with plumose seta laterally; carpus 2.5 merus length, with plumose setae medially, plumose seta laterally; propodus 0.7 carpus length, with plumose and simple setae; dactylus 0.5 propodus length, with simple setae terminally (Fig. 55A).

Maxilliped 3 basis 0.8 all other articles together, medial margin with plumose setae, lateral margin with simple setae, with 4 plumose setae at distal corner; ischium 0.06 basis length, unarmed; merus 2.7 ischium length, with plumose seta medially, 2 plumose setae laterally; carpus 3.1 merus length, with sparsely plumose setae medially, 2 plumose setae laterally; propodus 0.7 carpus length, with sparsely plumose setae medially, plumose setae laterally; dactylus 0.4 propodus length, with 4 simple setae terminally; exopod equal to basis length, basal article with 2 plumose setae, flagellum with plumo-annulate setae (Fig. 55B).

Pereopod 1 broken, basis with plumose setae on margins; exopod 0.7 basis length, basal article with 5 plumose setae, flagellum with plumo-annulate setae (Fig. 55C).

Pereopod 2 basis shorter than all other articles together, with 12 plumose setae; ischium 0.06

basis length, unarmed; merus 3.0 ischium length, with 1 stout microserrate, 1 plumose and 2 simple setae; carpus 3.2 merus length, with 13 microserrate and 1 plumose setae; propodus 0.2 carpus length, with simple seta; dactylus broken, with simple setae; exopod 0.6 basis length, basal article with plumose seta, flagellum with plumo-annulate setae (Fig. 55D).

Pereopod 3 basis 1.5 all other articles together, with 2 plumose setae; ischium 0.06 basis length, with plumose seta; merus 4.8 ischium length, with 5 plumose setae; carpus 0.5 merus length, with 2 plumose and 2 annulate setae; propodus 0.8 carpus length, with annulate seta; dactylus 0.7 propodus length, with 2 simple and 1 stout microserrate setae terminally; exopod rudimentary, 0.09 basis length, of 2 articles with 2 simple setae (Fig. 55E).

Pereopod 4 broken, not figured.

Pereopod 5 basis 1.3 all other articles together, with 3 simple setae; ischium 0.1 basis length, with 2 plumose setae; merus 1.6 ischium length, with simple seta; carpus 1.3 merus length, with1 simple and 2 annulate setae; propodus 0.7 carpus length, with annulate seta; dactylus 0.6 propodus length, with 2 simple and 1 stout microserrate setae terminally (Fig. 55 F–G).

Telson 1.4 length of pleonite 6, with 3 lateral setae with single subterminal setule, 3 simple terminal setae, central seta short, outer pair more than twice length of central seta (Fig. 55H).

Uropod peduncles 2.0 pleonite 6 length, 1.4 telson length, with 15 medial setae with single subterminal setule. Uropod endopod of 3 articles, 1.1 peduncle length; article 1 4.1 length of article 2, with 13–17 medial setae with single subterminal setule; article 2 with 5 medial setae with single subterminal setule; article 3 0.8 article 2 length, with 4 medial setae with single subterminal setule. Uropod exopod of 2 articles, 0.9 length of endopod; article 1 0.2 length article 2, with simple seta; article 2 with many long slender simple setae (Fig. 55H).

Etymology. The new species is named in honor of the late Roger Bamber, who was an excellent and productive taxonomist on the Tanaidacea and other peracarid groups.

Depth. 760 m.

Distribution. Chatham Rise, New Zealand, 44°30’S, 174°18.6’E.

Remarks. Platytyphlops bamberi, found in New Zealand waters, is most similar to P. echinatus, from Australian waters, but can be distinguished by the presence of spines ventral of the marginal carina and the unequal terminal setae on the telson; P. echinatus has no spines on the carapace ventral of the marginal carina, and the telson terminal setae are subequal in length.