Limnoporeia cooki, Taylor, 2009

Taylor, Joanne, 2009, Phoxocephalidae *, Zootaxa 2260 (1), pp. 800-827 : 819-821

Limnoporeia cooki sp. nov.

( Figs 13 , 14 , Pl. 5G)

Type material. Holotype female 2.0 mm, AM P 71013, 500 m north-east of North Point , Lizard Island (14°38.700’S 145°27.213’E), 23.9 m, R. T. Springthorpe, 27 February 2005 ( QLD 1707 ) . Paratype: female 2.0 mm, AM P70632 ( QLD 1621 ) .

Type locality. North-east of North Point , Lizard Island, Queensland, Australia .

Additional material examined. 1 female (damaged), AM P71452 ( QLD 1836 ) .

Etymology. Named for English navigator James Cook who, in 1770, climbed to Lizard Island's summit in a desperate bid to find a way out of the labyrinth of reefs within which he found himself trapped.

Description. Based on holotype female.

Head. Rostrum unconstricted; eyes present. Antenna 1 peduncle article 2 with ventral setae confined apically, article 2 produced mediodistally beyond midpoint of article 3. Antenna 2 peduncle article 4 facial robust setae in 1 main/apical row, dorsal setae absent or with 1 short setule; article 5 midfacial robust setae present as a single set of 1–3. Maxilla 1 inner plate unknown; outer plate without an especially thickened robust seta; palp uniarticulate. Maxilliped inner plate without large thick apical robust setae; outer plate inner margin poorly armed, with 6 or fewer setae.

Pereon. Coxae, long posteroventral setae present on coxae 1–3, absent from coxa 4, main ventral setae of coxae 1–4 = 4–5–5–0. Coxa 1 expanded distally. Gnathopods chelate, slightly dissimilar. Gnathopod 1 carpus free (not cryptic), gnathopod 2 carpus cryptic. Pereopods 3–4, carpus lacking posteroproximal robust setae, propodus slender setae absent. Pereopod 5 basis of broad form, tapering distally (slightly), with 1 facial ridge. Pereopod 6 basis with 1 facial ridge. Pereopod 7 basis with few or no long ventral setae, without facial ridge.

Pleon. Epimeron 1 anteroventral margin without setae, posteroventral face without setae. Epimeron 2 without facial setae. Epimeron 3 facial setae absent, with 1 short posterior setae, without facial setae, without ventral setae or with very short setules only. Uropods 1–2 rami naked, without apical nails. Uropod 1, peduncle with 1 basofacial setae, without major displaced robust setae, with 1 apicolateral spine; inner ramus with 1 dorsal spine, without subapical accessory robust setae; outer ramus not continuously spinose to apex.

Habitat. Halimeda sp. (green alga) with epiphytes, soft bottom with foraminifera, crinoids, Halimeda macroloba , Halimeda cylindracea, Caulerpa taxifolia, Gracilaria sp., Lobophora sp. and sediment.

Remarks. The carpus of gnathopod 1 is shortened in comparison with most other species ( L. maranowe , L. woorake , L. ungamale , L. wakkine and L. kalduke ). The unreduced and non-recurved dactyl of pereopod 3, and lack of apicoventral process on rostrum distinguishes this new species from other known species of the genus. See also remarks for L. woorake herein.

Distribution. Australia. Queensland: Lizard Island (current study).

Figures

FIGURE 13. Limnoporeia cooki sp. nov., holotype, female, 2.0 mm, AM P71013, North Point, Lizard Island; (a) paratype, female, 2.0 mm, P70632, Palfrey Island, Lizard Island, Great Barrier Reef.

FIGURE 14. Limnoporeia cooki sp. nov., holotype, female, 2.0 mm, AM P71013, North Point, Lizard Island, Great Barrier Reef.