Saetoniscus, Brandt, Angelika, 2002

Brandt, Angelika, 2002, New species of Nannoniscidae (Crustacea, Isopoda) and Saetoniscus n. gen. from the deep sea of the Angola Basin, Zootaxa 88, pp. 1-36 : 11-12

Saetoniscus n. gen.

Diagnosis: Pereonites 6 and 7 dorsomedially fused. Body length about 5.5 times width of pereonite 2. Fine setules dispersed over dorsum, female with anteroventral spine on operculum. A1 5­segmented, peducular article 4 with long lateral projection. A2 flagellar article 1o longer than last peduncular one, swollen. Mandible with palp. Mxp epipod very long and slender, reaching distal margin of palp article 3. P 1­4 with stout sensory setae on ventral margins of carpus and propodus, dorsal margins with stout setae. P 5­7 with very long and slender setae ventrally; propodus with long natatory setae dorsally and tiny setules. Urp with short, slender exopod; approximately 1/4 length of endopod; exopod 1/3 width of endopod.

Type species: Saetoniscus meteori n. sp.

Etymology: Saetoniscus is taken from the Latin saeta, seta, referring to the long slightly plumose setae on P5­7 propodi. The gender of the name is masculine.

Distribution: abyssal Angola Basin, south Atlantic Ocean, 5389 m.

Remarks: Genera that most closely resemble the new genus Saetoniscus are Regabellator Siebenaller & Hessler, 1981 and Exiliniscus Siebenaller & Hessler, 1981 . Regabellator , however, can easily be distinguished from Saetoniscus by the ventral spines on pereonites 6 and 7 and the missing natatory setae on P5­7. Saetoniscus has an anteroventrally directed spine on the operculum. Regabellator has natatory setae on P3­5. Natatory setae are absent in Saetoniscus . Pereonites 6 and 7 are dorsally fused in Saetoniscus and are not dorsally fused in Exiliniscus . Exiliniscus has a rostral process, which is absent in Saetoniscus . A2 peduncular article 5is swollen in Saetoniscus . A2 flagellar article 1 of Exiliniscus is long and slender. Mxp epipod of Exiliniscus is short and the uropodal exopod in this genus is minute.