Bemlos dentischium taparum ( Myers, 1985 )

Alan A Myers, 2005, Aoridae (Amphipoda: Corophioidea) from the Austral Isles, Records of the Australian Museum 57, pp. 355-360 : 356-358

Bemlos dentischium taparum ( Myers, 1985)

Lembos dentischium taparum Myers, 1985b: 369–373 , figs. 236– 237.

Bemlos dentischium taparum .– Myers, 1990:157; Myers, 1997: 108.

Material examined. AM P47080 AM (233). Reef platform in front of Mataura , Tubuai, Austral Isles, 2 m, calcareous and bottle-brush red alga on coral outcrops, J.K. Lowry, 12 August 1991 ; AM P47081 (733, 5♀♀); same locality, habitat, collector and date, 1.5 m , AM P54527 (13, 1♀, 3 immatures); same locality, collector and date, 0.5 m, brown algae on sides of old bommies ; AM P54528 (13, 3♀♀). Near edge of lagoon at Rairua , Raivavae, Austral Isles, 3 m, mixed red algae from inner reef front, J.K. Lowry, 14 August 1991 ; AM P54529 (633, 12♀♀, 20 immatures); same locality, collector and date, 1 m, rubble and sand ; AM P54532 (13, 3♀♀, 2 immatures). Point Maomao , Ha’urei Bay , Rapa, Austral Isles, 2 m, loose coral rubble, J.K. Lowry, 17 August 1991 ; AM P54531 (5♀♀) near edge of lagoon at Rairua , Raivavae, Austral Isles, 0.5– 1 m depth, coarse sand and rubble, J.K. Lowry, 14 August 1991 ; AM P54533 (233, 4♀♀), same locality, depth, collector and date, in rubble and sand ; AM P54534 (13, 3♀♀, 3 immatures), same locality, collector and date, 0.5 m, small black sponge. Remarks. Myers (1985b) described the subspecies Bemlos dentischium taparum on the basis of its pigmentation pattern. This small difference was justified by the fact that the nominate form was known only from Florida and the Bahamas. Present material agrees well with the description of this subspecies from Tonga, Western Samoa and the Cook Islands .

Habitat. Shallow water (0–3 m) amongst algae and coral rubble.

Distribution. Cook Islands, Western Samoa, Tonga, Austral Isles.