Normanion hipposideros, Stoddart & Lowry, 2010

Stoddart, H. E. & Lowry, J. K., 2010, The family Opisidae (Crustacea: Amphipoda: Lysianassoidea) in Australasian waters, Zootaxa 2479 (1), pp. 22-38 : 24-26

Normanion hipposideros sp. nov.

( Figs 1 , 2 )

Type material. HOLOTYPE, female, 2.5 mm, AM P.69040, Horseshoe Reef , Horsehoe Reef, Bootless Inlet, Papua New Guinea, 9°30.5’S 147°15.5’E, 12–15 m, coral rubble from reef front slope, 29 October 1980, J.K. Lowry, stn PNG-32.

Type locality. Horsehoe Reef , Bootless Inlet, Papua New Guinea, 9°30.5’S 147°15.5’E, 12–15 m depth .

Etymology. The species name is the Greek word for a horseshoe, a reference to the type locality.

Diagnostic description. Antenna 1 callynophore present. Eyes present. Mouthpart bundle subconical. Mandible left and right incisor with slightly convex margin, smooth; lacinia mobilis absent; molar present, setose; palp attached proximally, articles 2 and 3 subequal. Maxilla 1 outer plate with 10 setal teeth in an 8/2 crown arrangement, some of outer row with cusps in 2 rows; palp apical margin serrate, with apical robust setae. Maxilliped palp 4-articulate, article 4 vestigial. Gnathopod 1 subchelate; ischium long; carpus posterior margin not produced, curved; propodus subquadrate, proximal margin produced into strong posteroproximal lobe, palm serrate, posterodistal corner not produced, with 3 robust setae. Gnathopod 2 minutely chelate; carpus longer than propodus (about 1.5x); palm obtuse. Pereopod 4 coxa posteroproximal excavation large. Pereopods 5–7 basis with smooth posterior margin; [dactylus not known]. Epimeron 3 posterior margin smooth, posteroventral corner broadly rounded. [Uropod 3 unknown.] Telson about as long as broad, entire, distally emarginate, without dorsal robust setae.

Male not known.

Remarks. Unfortunately the specimen lacks the distal articles of pereopods 5–7 and uropod 3. Normanion hipposideros has the unusual character of having two rows of cusps on some of the outer row of setal teeth on the maxilla 1 outer plate, a character which also occurs in Podoprionella dagadugaban Lowry & Stoddart, 1995 . Although the status of uropod 3 is not known for N. hipposideros the presence of a large setose molar excludes the species from the genus Podoprionella . See also remarks under N. whoi .

Distribution. Southern Papua New Guinea; 12–15 m depth.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Normanion hipposideros sp. nov. Holotype female, AM P.69040. Scales represent 0.1 mm.

FIGURE 2. Normanion hipposideros sp. nov. Holotype female, AM P.69040. Scales represent 0.1 mm.