Tethisea Poore, 1994

Poore And D, Gary C. B., 2015, Micheleidae (Crustacea: Decapoda: Axiidea): new family, generic and species synonymies, three new Australian species, and new records, Memoirs of Museum Victoria 73, pp. 95-105 : 101-102

Tethisea Poore, 1994

Tethisea Poore, 1994: 99–100 .— Poore, 1997: 393–394.— Sakai,

2011: 309.

Remarks. The rostrum, tapering truncate telson and ovate uropodal endopod of the new species described here are of the same form as those of the two species of Tethisea Poore, 1994 ( Poore, 1997). The new species differs significantly in the absence of strong spiniform setae in the gape of the cheliped and the blunt, rather than attenuating and acute cheliped fingers. As in Michelea discussed above, the male pleopod 1 varies within and possibly between species. The male pleopod 1 of the new species is of the triangular form typical of adult micheleids. Of seven males of T. mindoro Poore, 1997 in Museum Victoria the two larger specimens (cl, 5.0, 6.5 mm) possess bud-like pleopods 1 and in five specimens (cl, 2.2–5.0 mm) pleopod 1 is absent. None has a triangular pleopod 1 but might be anticipated in a larger male. The appendix masculina is present on all pleopods 2.

Besides the new species described below, Tethisea mindoro occurs in Western Australia, the only Australian state in which the genus occurs.