Bryoconversor tutus

Springthorpe, Roger T. & Hughes, Lauren E., 2024, Re-description of Chevalia aviculae Walker, 1904, five new species and new records of Chevaliidae from Australia and New Zealand (Crustacea: Peracarida: Amphipoda: Senticaudata), Records of the Australian Museum 76 (3), pp. 157-194 : 158-159

Bryoconversor tutus

Lörz, Myers & Gordon, 2014

( Figs 1–6 )

Bryoconversor tutus Lörz, Myers & Gordon, 2014: 5 , figs 3–8.

Material examined. Male , 8 mm, AM P.25854, Taiaroa Canyon , off the Otago Peninsula, South Island, New Zealand, 45°46'S 171°05'E, 600–660 m, Agassiz trawl, muddy sand, coll. P. K. Probert, RV Munida , 25 March 1974, station MU 74 /95; male, 5.6 mm, AM P.25890, Papanui Canyon off the Otago Peninsular, South Island, New Zealand 45°52'S 171°01'E, 500 m, Agassiz trawl, coll. P. K. Probert, RV Munida , 7 November 1974, station MU 74 /202.

Type locality. New Zealand, 45°27'S 171°24'E .

Remarks. TheAustralian Museum specimens were collected from within 45 km of the type locality. These specimens closely agree with the description of Lörz et al. (2014) except for the striations on the inner rami of uropods 1 and 2 which are absent in these specimens. Also notable is the large difference in body size between the type specimens and the present specimens. The Australian Museum specimens are two males, 8 mm and 5.6 mm in length, whereas the specimens of Lörz et al. (2014) are 1.72 mm (holotype female) and 0.64 mm (paratype male). Lörz et al. (2014) discuss the relationship between the bryozoan host and the amphipods and suggest that the amphipods may exit the bryozoan under certain circumstances and then may recolonise another bryozoan. This suggests that Bryoconversor enjoys a free-living stage outside the bryozoan host and therefore would be able to grow to a larger size without constraints.

Distribution. New Zealand ( Lörz et al., 2014).

Figures

Figure 1. Distribution map of Australian and New Zealand Chevaliidae species. Stars represent type localities; circles represent additional data points.

Figure 2. Field guide to Australian and New Zealand Chevaliidae species.

Figure 3. Bryoconversor tutus Lörz et al., 2014, male, 8 mm, AM P.25854, Taiaroa Canyon, New Zealand.

Figure 4. Bryoconversor tutus Lörz et al., 2014, male, 8 mm, AM P.25854, Taiaroa Canyon, New Zealand. Scale lines represent 0.1 mm except H represents 0.5 mm.

Figure 5. Bryoconversor tutus Lörz et al., 2014, male, 8 mm,AM P.25854, Taiaroa Canyon, New Zealand. Scale lines represent 0.1 mm except G1, G2, EP 1–3 represents 0.2 mm.

Figure 6. Bryoconversor tutus Lörz et al., 2014, male, 8 mm, AM P.25854, Taiaroa Canyon, New Zealand. Scale lines represent 0.2 mm.