Heptanthura phuket, Kensley & Schotte, 2000

Kensley, B. & Schotte, M., 2000, New species and records of anthuridean isopod crustaceans from the Indian Ocean, Journal of Natural History 34, pp. 2057-2121 : 2076-2077

Heptanthura phuket sp. nov.

( Figures 13, 14)

Type material. HOLOTYPE: ZMUC, non-ovigerous m 4.0 mm, sta CRU-2001, MBC reef ¯at, Phuket, Thailand, intertidal, coll. N. L. Bruce, 22 November 1995.

Diagnosis. Non-ovigerous female: Pleonites 1±4 subequal in length, pleonites 5 and 6 longer. Pleotelson length about twice greatest width, posterior margin broadly rounded, ®nely serrate. Antennular ¯agellum of three articles, penultimate article with one aesthetasc, terminal article with two aesthetascs. Antennal ¯agellum of eight articles. Terminal article of mandibular palp bearing three setae. Maxillipedal palp of ®ve articles, terminal article small, bearing four setae; endite not developed. Pereopod 1 with four distal articles squat in appearance, carpus with three setae on posterior margin, with very short free anterior margin; propodus with palm straight, with few scattered setae, somewhat expanded proximally; dactylus basally broad, bearing fringed scales on posterior surface, short squat seta at base of unguis. Pereopod 2, carpus triangular, with very short anterior margin; propodus not expanded, with short squat dentate seta posterodistally; dactylus with strong accessory seta at base of unguis. Pereopod 7, carpus roughly triangular, with anterior margin much shorter than posterior, short dentate seta at posterodistal angle; propodus rectangular, with short dentate seta and more elongate bifringed seta posterodistally, two elongate bifringed setae anterodistally. Pleopod 1, exopod slightly longer than endopod, both contributing to operculum. Uropodal exopod margin dentate/serrate, with strong spike-like extension on lateral margin; endopod ovate, margin dentate/serrate.

Colour. Sparse scattered red±brown squiggles on dorsum of cephalon, pereonites 1±7 and pleotelson.

Remarks. Although only a single specimen of this species is available, it is nevertheless described, given that the only other species of the genus, H. novaezealandiae Kensley, 1978b , is known from two specimens from New Zealand. Heptanthura phuket is surprisingly similar to the type species, especially in the structure of the pereopods, but several diOEerences are apparent: the second article of the mandibular palp is much longer in the New Zealand species; the uropods and pleotelson of the latter are somewhat more slender, while the antennal ¯agellum has two fewer articles.

Kensley and Poore (1982) recorded and brie¯y described an unnamed species from Australia, which somewhat resembles the present species.

Etymology. The speci®c name, used as a noun in apposition, is taken from

Phuket Island , the type locality .