Kussakinella, Just, Jean & Wilson, George D. F., 2007

Just, Jean & Wilson, George D. F., 2007, Revision of Austrosignum Hodgson and Munnogonium George & Strömberg (Paramunnidae) with descriptions of eight new genera and two new species, (Crustacea: Isopoda: Asellota), Zootaxa 1515, pp. 1-29 : 18

Kussakinella gen. nov.

Type species. Austrosignum spinosum Kussakin, 1982 . —Here designated.

Species included. Kussakinella spinosa ( Kussakin, 1982) , comb. nov.

Diagnosis. Body with nearly parallel margins in male (female not known). Head front margin broadly rounded in dorsal view. Pereonites with mid-dorsal conical spines. Pleotelson lateral margins smooth; posterior margin with acute apical spine-like projection. Eyestalks robust, apex rounded, slightly wider than long. Antennula article 1 shorter than eyestalk. Antenna article 3 shorter than article 4. Mandible palp absent. Pereopod I carpus triangular, with 2(?) straight robust setae posteriorly; propodus with simple setae only on posterior margin. Pereopod II carpus and propodus posterior margin with a few short robust setae. Uropod endopod straight, apex truncate.

Etymology. The genus is named in honour of the late great Russian isopodologist Oleg G. Kussakin.

Remarks. We have not seen the single specimen reported by Kussakin. Our analysis of the species is based on Kussakin’s illustrations (1982: fig.10–11). We are in doubt about the number of robust setae on the posterior margin of pereopod I carpus.

Kussakinella spinosa differs from all other species treated herein by its slender body with nearly parallel margins, dorsal spines on pereonites, and a spine-like apical projection on the pleotelson.

Distribution. South Shetland Islands, 17 m.