Pendanthura picardi, 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 : 2086-2088

Pendanthura picardi sp. nov.

( Figure 21)

Type material. HOLOTYPE: USNM 253125 , ovigerous m 4.0 mm, sta K-AL-98, coral rubble oOE Picard Is., Aldabra, 15±18 m, 17 March 1986 . PARATYPES: USNM 253126 , one ovigerous m (damaged), two non-ovigerous m 3.5 mm, sta K-AL-116, lagoon near Grande Poche, Aldabra, 0.5 m, 6 April 1987 .

Diagnosis. Ovigerous female: body about 7.3 times longer than greatest width. Cephalon with broad triangular rostrum. Telson about 1.7 times longer than basal width, posterior margin broadly rounded, ®nely setulose. Antennular ¯agellum of three articles, three aesthetascs on terminal article. Antennal ¯agellum of two short articles. Mandibular palp consisting of single very short article bearing two setae; lamina dentata having eight serrations. Maxillipedal palp of single broad article bearing six distal setae; endite broadly triangular, with single terminal seta. Pereopod 1, carpus distally rounded, projecting; propodus strongly ināted, palm sinuous, with irregular band of setae on mesial surface. Pereopod 2, carpus with very short free anterior margin; propodus not ināted, with fringed scales on posterior margin, strong dentate seta posterodistally. Pereopod 7, carpus bearing fringed scales on posterior margin, anterior margin shorter than posterior; propodus relatively slender, with fringed scales on posterior margin, three fringed setae posterodistally. Pleopod 1, endopod as long as, and 0.4 times width of exopod, bearing eight distal plumose marginal setae. Uropodal exopod elongate ovate, about 2.5 times longer than greatest width; endopod broad, subcircular.

Colour. Irregular red±brown reticulation on dorsum of cephalon, all pereonites, pleon, telson and uropods.

Remarks. Pendanthura picardi bears some resemblance to P. siamensis described below, in its relatively elongate body form. Several easily seen diOEerences can be noted: the telson is narrower, the uropodal exopod is rounder, the maxillipedal endite is broader and the antennae and antennules are more elongate. In pereopod 1, there are more setae on the propodal mesial surface than in the Thai species.

Etymology. The speci®c name, used as a noun in apposition, is taken from the type locality, Picard Island, part of Aldabra Atoll.