Orthoprotella sp.

Guerra-García, José M. & Lowry, J. K., 2009, Caprellidae *, Zootaxa 2260 (1), pp. 290-327 : 304-305

Orthoprotella sp.

( Fig. 7 )

Orthoprotella mayeri . ––Guerra-García, 2006: 445, fig. 46 (in part).

Material examined. 1 female, ~ 5 mm, AM P80440 ( QLD 1570 ) .

Description. Based on female, ~ 5 mm, AM P80440.

Head and pereonites slender. Head/pereonite 1 fused (suture present), head without rostrum. Eyes large, distinctive. Antenna 1 between 0.6 –0.8 body length; peduncle article 2 longest; primary flagellum subequal in length to peduncle or longer than peduncle, flagellum with more than 2 articles; flagellum proximal article composed of 2 fused articles. Antenna 2 without dense concentration of long slender setae along posterior margin; flagellum with 2 articles.

Head/pereonite 1 without anterodorsal projections, without mid-ventral projections.

Pereon. Gnathopod 1 propodus subtriangular, palm begins less than 0.25 along posterior margin of propodus or begins 0.25 along posterior margin of propodus. Pereonite 2 with anterolateral triangular projection. Gnathopod 2 situated toward anterior end of pereonite 2; basis shorter than pereonite 2, with small anterodistal projection; propodus massive, propodus elongate (subrectangular), anterodistal margin widely concave; propodus palm irregular, with small midpalmar projection, with deep, narrow sinus, propodus palm with broad, well developed distal shelf. Pereonite 3 with anterolateral triangular projection. Pereopod 3 reduced, with 1 article. Pereopod 4 reduced, with 1 article. Pereopod 5 well developed, slender, with 6 articles. Pereopods 6 and 7 simple. Pereopod 6 basis longest followed by propodus. Pereopod 7 merus slightly shorter than basis.

Gills on pereonites 3 and 4; pereonite 3 gill ovate, pereonite 3 gill length between 0.25 –0.5 x corresponding pereonite; pereonite 4 gill ovate, pereonite 4 gill length between 0.25 –05 x corresponding pereonite. Pleopods absent or vestigial.

Habitat. The species has been found on coral rubble (Guerra-García, 2006).

Remarks. Orthoprotella mayeri K.H. Barnard, 1916 , was recently shown by Takeuchi & Lowry (2007) to be confined to southern Africa. The taxon referred to as O. mayeri from Australia ( Lowry & Stoddart 2003) is described as O. berentsae Takeuchi & Lowry (2007) . The female reported from the GBR by Guerra-García (2006) differs from O. berentsae as follows: the propodus of gnathopod 2 is much more elongate with a width and the anterodistal margin is widely concave, the propodus has a very narrow sinus compared with that of O. berentsae . We consider it to be an undescribed species, but because there is only one female specimen we are leaving it un-named.

Guerra-García (2006) also recorded a number of male specimens under the same name from Elizabeth Reef off the coast of New South Wales which appear to be O. berentsae Takeuchi & Lowry, 2007 .

Distribution. Australia. Queensland: north-east side of Lizard Island (Guerra-García 2006).

Figures

FIGURE 7. Orthoprotella sp. Lateral view. Female, ~5 mm, (QLD 1570), north-east side of Lizard Island, Great Barrier Reef. Refigured from Guerra-García (2006).