Bemlos tui (Myers, 1985)

Myers, Alan A., 2009, Aoridae *, Zootaxa 2260 (1), pp. 220-278 : 253-255

Bemlos tui (Myers, 1985)

( Figs 25 , 26 )

Lembos tui Myers, 1985c: 398 , figs 255–258.

Bemlos tui . — Myers, 1995: 30, fig. 3. — Myers, 1998: 193 , fig. 5b.

Material examined. 2 males, 7 females, 3 juveniles, AM P77554 (SEL/LZI-2-2) .

Type Locality. Matautu , Upolu Island, Western Samoa (~ 13°27'S 172°22'W) .

Description. Based on male, 3.5 mm, AM P77554.

Head. Head lateral cephalic lobes apically truncated. Antenna 1 flagellum with 20 or less articles; accessory flagellum present and multiarticulate. Lower lip with fine setae and stout setae. Maxilla 1 inner plate with 1 long pectinate apical seta. Mandible palp article 3, posterior margin straight or weakly falcate, posterior margin with setae of two distinct lengths, long setae and an under-story of much shorter regularly spaced setae.

Pereon. Pereonite 2 with sternal spine. Gnathopod 1 enlarged in males only; coxa anterodistally, subacute, with few or no setae present along margin, with setae sparse or absent, anterodistal margin with flange weak or absent; ischium anterior margin without flange; merus not greatly elongated, fused along its entire length with carpus, posterior margin with sparse setae or setae absent, without posterodistal spine; carpus two thirds or less length of propodus, with setae sparse or absent, carpus without spines; palm delimited from posterior margin, margin forming a broad excavate sinus, palm defined by strong posterodistal spine; dactylus more than half length of propodus, significantly overlapping palm. Gnathopod 2 basis anterior margin weakly setiferous, sub-straight, anterodistal margin without spine, posterodistal margin without robust setae; carpus subequal with or shorter than propodus, with long dense setae. Pereopod 3 basis anterior margin unexpanded, straight or weakly concave. Pereopod 7 significantly greater than 125% length of pereopod 6.

Pleon. Epimeron 3 posterodistal margin produced into a small spine. Uropod 1 distoventral spine shorter than peduncle. Uropod 3 biramous, outer ramus more than half length of inner ramus.

Female (sexually dimorphic characters). Based on female, 3.5 mm, AM P77554. Pereonite 2 lacking sternal spine. Gnathopod 1 carpus and propodus more slender than that of male, without spine at posterodistal margin of carpus, and propodus with evenly convex palm. Gnathopod 2 more slender, anterior margin of carpus and propodus weakly setiferous.

Habitat. Coral rubble and Halimeda (green alga).

Remarks. This species most closely resembles B. triangulum , but that species has a male gnathopod 1 with a more enlarged carpus, lacking a carpal spine. B. triangulum also lacks the dense long setae on the anterior margin of the carpus in the male gnathopod 2 of B. tui .

Bemlos tui differs from B. gladius in lacking long setae on the posterior margin of the basis of the male gnathopods 1 and 2, and from B. bidens in lacking a spine of the merus of the male gnathopod 1.

Distribution. Australia. Queensland: Picnic Beach, Palfrey Island, Lizard Island (current study). Western Samoa. Upolu Island ( Myers 1985c). Papua New Guinea. Madang lagoon ( Myers 1995). New Caledonia. South-west Lagoon, Noumea ( Myers 1998).

Figures

FIGURE 25. Bemlos tui (Myers, 1985c), male, 3.5 mm, AM P77554, Lizard Island, Great Barrier Reef.

FIGURE 26. Bemlos tui (Myers, 1985c), male, 3.5 mm, female, 3.5 mm, AM P77554, Lizard Island, Great Barrier Reef.