Maresiella aldabrana, Kensley & Schotte, 2002

Kensley, B & Schotte, M, 2002, New species and records of Asellota from the Indian Ocean (Crustacea: Peracarida: Isopoda), Journal of Natural History 36, pp. 1421-1461 : 1422-1423

Maresiella aldabrana sp. nov.

(gures 1, 2)

Type material. HOLOTYPE: USNM 253297 , 2.0 mm, sta K-AL-124, coral rubble from fore-reef slope, Picard Island , Aldabra, 9ss24¾S, 46ss12¾E, 21 m, 13 April 1987 . PARATYPES: USNM 253298 , ve 1.8–2.0 mm, 12 ovigerous 1.8–2.0 mm, seven, same data as holotype .

Other material. USNM 253299 , nine, ve ovigerous, ve, two juveniles , coral rubble and coarse sediment from eight stations on Aldabra, 15–25 m.

Diagnosis. Rostrum wider than long, anterior margin concave. Eye consisting of ve ommatidia. Pleotelson as wide as long, with single tooth on lateral margin. Antennular agellum of three articles. Antennal agellum of 16 articles. Pereopod 1 of male with rectangular carpus having setae on posterior margin; propodus about 2.5 times longer than wide, with row of about 25 elongate setae with in ated bases on mesial surface near anterior margin, row of about 18 setae along posterior margin; stout seta demarcating propodal palm, latter with four fringed setae; dactylus having ve fringed setae on cutting edge. Pleopod 1 in male having eight distal margin setae on each ramus, latter about twice longer than greatest width. Operculum of female about 1.4 times longer than greatest width, distally bilobed, each lobe having four marginal setae.

Remarks. Maresiella indica Müller, 1992 , from Réunion Island, and M. polynesica Müller, 1992 , from the Society Islands, both have much shorter propodi and carpi of pereopod 1 in the male. The type species, M. barringtoniana (Fresi, 1973) from the Galapagos Islands, also has a less elongate propodus of pereopod 1 in the male, with a more diVuse band of elongate setae on the anteromesial surface, than is seen in M. aldabrana .

Etymology. The speci c name derives from the type locality, Aldabra Atoll.