Sunamphitoe lehae, Peart, Rachael A., 2017

Peart, Rachael A., 2017, Analysis of the genus Sunamphitoe Spence Bate, 1857 (Amphipoda: Ampithoidae) with descriptions of eight new species, Zootaxa 4269 (3), pp. 301-345 : 325-326

Sunamphitoe lehae sp. nov.

( Fig. 17 )

Peramphithoe aorangi .— Hughes & Peart, 2014: 93 –95, fig. 61.

Type material. Holotype: male, 9 mm, NMV J64948 , near boat ramp, Giles Point , South Australia, Australia, 35°03’00”S 137°46’00”E, intertidal, coll. 19 March 1985.

Diagnosis. Mandibular palp with 3 articles. Maxilla 1 inner plate with two slender setae. Lower lip outer plate notched, lobes of equal height, medial lobe apically rounded. Gnathopod 2 carpus shorter than propodus; propodus narrow distally, broad proximally subtriangular; palm extremely acute, excavate, no midmedial tooth, defining posterodistal tooth, no defining robust seta; dactylus subequal in length to palm, inner margin smooth, with small setae. Uropod 3 peduncle with six distal robust setae, outer ramus with patch of lateral denticles and two lateral slender setae; inner ramus with one distal robust seta. Telson distally acute, apical cusps small, apical and lateral setae, lateral denticles present.

Description. (Based on holotype male, 9 mm, NMV J64948 ; female not known.)

Head. Antennae undescribed. Mandible molar well developed, triturating with nine robust setae in accessory setal row; palp article 1 slightly longer than article 2 (1.2 ×), article 2 longer than article 3 (1.4 ×), article 3 shorter than article 1 (0.6 ×). Maxilla 1 palp well developed with apical robust setae.

Pereon. Gnathopod 1 smaller than gnathopod, without densely setose margins. Gnathopod 1 coxa with sparse setal fringe on ventral margin, anteroventral corner strongly produced, anterior margin concave, anteroventral corner smooth and rounded (no tooth); basis longer than coxa, with medial and lateral setae, anteroventral lobe small, covered by small denticles with marginal setae; merus produced to form small rounded lobe bearing long setae, anterior margin with setae absent; carpus longer than merus, subtriangular, shorter than propodus (0.8 ×), posterior margin slightly lobate, truncated with slender setae on margin of lobe, anterior margin with distal slender setae only; propodus very narrow (length 2.9 × width), subrectangular, palm transverse, entire, without posterodistal tooth defining palm, with one defining robust seta; dactylus overreaching palm, inner margin serrated. Gnathopod 2 without densely setose margins; coxa with sparse setules along ventral margin (no corner tuft); basis longer than coxa, with small patch of lateral setae (plumose), anteroventral lobe small, with setules but no lateral setae; merus produced to form small subacute distoventral lobe, anterior margin with setae absent; carpus shorter than merus, subtriangular, anterior margin with patch of denticles and no setae; propodus subtriangular, not produced into anterodistally setose lobe; dactylus tapering evenly, acute, inner margin smooth.

Pereopod 3 basis and merus expanded. Pereopods 4–7 missing.

Pleon. Epimeron 3 undescribed. Uropod 1 peduncle with six marginal robust setae and setal fringe is absent; inner ramus slightly longer than outer ramus, but same width, with two marginal robust setae; outer ramus with four marginal robust setae. Uropod 2 peduncle with three marginal robust setae; inner ramus slightly longer than outer ramus, both inner and outer rami are broad; inner ramus with three marginal robust setae; outer ramus with five marginal robust setae. Uropod 3 peduncle longer than broad (1.4 × width), long with respect to rami length (2.4 ×), marginal robust setae absent, marginal slender setae in two bundles, rami broad; outer ramus slightly longer than inner ramus; inner ramus with one distal robust seta, no lateral robust setae.

Etymology. Sunamphitoe lehae sp. nov. is named for Dr Lauren E. Hughes for her contributions to amphipod systematics.

Remarks. Sunamphitoe lehae sp. nov. is established as a separate species from S. aorangi ( J.L. Barnard, 1972) . It has obvious similarities with S. aorangi , S. mixtura sp. nov. and S. jonathani sp. nov. The differences between this species and S. aorangi and S. mixtura are detailed in Table 1. The main distinctions are in the strongly produced gnathopod 1 coxa (not produced in any of the above species) and strong patches of denticles on the gnathopods 1 and 2 basis anteroventral lobes and on the carpus of gnathopod 2, and the expansion of both the inner ramus and outer ramus of uropods 1 and 2 (the inner ramus is significantly narrower in the uropods 1 and 2 of the above species).

Of the material of this species examined in the original description, only the South Australian material from the type locality (Giles Point) is confirmed as Sunamphitoe lehae . The Victorian specimens mentioned in the material examined (slides NMV J64942 ; Hughes & Peart 2014) do not represent this species or genus, and are closest to Cymadusa brevidactyla ( Chevreux, 1907) .

Distribution. Southern Australia. Australia.

Figures

FIGURE 17. Sunamphitoe lehae sp. nov., holotype male, NMV J 64948, Giles Point, South Australia, Australia. Scales 0.5 mm.