Austroarcturus similis (Barnard, 1925) Poore, 2003

Poore, G. C. B., 2003, Revision of Holidoteidae, an endemic southern African family of Crustacea, and re-appraisal of taxa previously included in its three genera (Isopoda: Valvifera), Journal of Natural History 37, pp. 1805-1846 : 1815-1816

Austroarcturus similis (Barnard, 1925) comb. nov.

(figure 1I, J)

Antarcturus similis Barnard, 1925: 395–398 , figure 1.

‘ Microarcturus ’ similis: Nordenstam, 1933: 128 ; Kensley, 1975: 47–48, figure 5a, b; Kensley, 1978b: 31, figure 13d, e; Kensley, 1984: 255–0257, figures 21a–h, 22a–g.

Material examined

Numerous specimens of both sexes (one male dissected), SAM A13869 . Three males, three females, NMV J47033 .

Diagnosis

Body with pair of submedial dorsal rows of irregular low tubercles; dorsolaterally irregularly tuberculate on each pereonite. Pereonites 2 and 3 with lateral triangular wings (more prominent in female), margins discontinuous; pereonites 4 and 5 slightly expanded; pereonite 7 and pleonites without lateral expansions. Pleonite 3 without mid-dorsal spine on dorsal dome. Male to 6.6 mm; female to 7.2 mm.

Remarks

Austroarcturus similis is a finely tuberculate species with low submedial rows of tubercles. The species is the most common in the collections of the South African

Museum and is recorded from Lüderitz to East London, south-western to southeastern South Africa, at 15–240 m depth.