Iphimedia maitrensis, Lowry & Myers, 2003

Lowry, J. K. & Myers, A. A., 2003, New Amphipod Crustaceans From The Indo-West Pacific (Amathillopsidae: Eusiridae: Iphimediidae), Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 51 (2), pp. 219-256 : 238-241

Iphimedia maitrensis , new species

( Figs. 18-20 )

Material examined. – Holotype – sex unknown, 3.6 mm, AM P46983, off Ilôt Maitre , New Caledonia, 22 20.57’S 166 25.43’E, dead coral, 20 m, coll. ORSTOM divers, 7 Nov.1995, stn NCL- 40.

Type locality. – Ilôt Maitre , South-east Lagoon, New Caledonia .

Description. – Head laterocephalic margin with sharp spine, ventrolateral corner notched. Antenna 1 peduncular article 1 with posterodorsal spines, without posteroventral spine; peduncular article 2 without posterodorsal spine, without posteroventral spine; accessory flagellum absent. Maxilla 1 palp reduced, shorter than outer plate, 2-articulate.

Pereon. Pereonite 1 enlarged. Gnathopod 1 coxa small, ventrally truncated, ventral margins smooth. Gnathopod 2 coxa small, ventrally truncated, ventral margins smooth. Pereopod 3 coxa ventrally truncated or ventrally rounded, ventral margins smooth. Pereopod 4 coxa ventral margins smooth. Pereopod 5 coxa posteroventral corner subquadrate; basis posterodorsal corner rounded, posterior margin without spines, weakly serrate, posteroventral corner subquadrate; merus posteroventral lobe not or very slightly produced along carpus. Pereopod 6 coxa posteroventral corner rounded; basis posterodorsal corner rounded, posterior margin without spines, weakly serrate, posteroventral corner subquadrate; merus posteroventral lobe not produced. Pereopod 7 coxa with posteroventral spine, or subquadrate; basis posterodorsal corner rounded, posterior margin without spines, weakly serrate or strongly serrate, posteroventral corner grossly excised, bounded by 2 large spines. Pereonite 7 without middorsal carina, dorsodistal margin slightly to strongly produced, with 2 large spines, without posteroventral spine.

Pleon. Pleonites 1-3 without mid-dorsal carina, dorsodistal margin slightly to strongly produced, with 2 large spines. Epimeron 1 posterior margin without mid-lateral spines; posteroventral corner subquadrate or rounded. Epimeron 2 posterior margin without mid-lateral spines, posteroventral corner rounded. Epimeron 3 posterior margin without lateral spines, posteroventral corner serrate, notched. Telson notched, longer than broad, parallel sided, with pair of dorsodistal fine setae.

Remarks. – This species can be distinguished from all other described world species of Iphimedia by the following combination of characters: coxa 5 posteroventral corner subquadrate, pereonite 7 dorsodistal margin with 2 large spines and epimeron 3 posteroventral corner serrate.

Distribution. – New Caledonia.

Etymology. – Named for Ilôt Maitre, the type locality.

Figures

Fig. 18. Iphimedia maitrensis, new species, unknown sex, 3.6 mm, AM P46983, off Ilôt Maitre, New Caledonia.

Fig. 19. Iphimedia maitrensis, new species, unknown sex, 3.6 mm, AM P46983, off Ilôt Maitre, New Caledonia. Scale bar = 0.1mm.

Fig. 20. Iphimedia maitrensis, new species, unknown sex, 3.6 mm, AM P46983, off Ilôt Maitre, New Caledonia. Scale bar = 0.2 mm, uropods; telson = 0.1mm.