Africorchestia fischeri (H. Milne Edwards, 1830 )

Lowry, James K. & Coleman, Charles Oliver, 2011, Africorchestia a new genus of sand-hoppers (Crustacea: Amphipoda: Talitridae) from western Africa and south-western Europe, Zootaxa 2825, pp. 55-68 : 58

Africorchestia fischeri (H. Milne Edwards, 1830)

Orchestia Fischeri H. Milne-Edwards, 1830: 361 . ―H. Milne-Edwards, 1840: 19, pl. 29, fig. 4. ― Della Valle, 1893: 497, pl. 57, fig. 56.

? Orchestoidea Fischerii. ― Bate, 1862: 11, pl. 2, fig. 1. ― Chevreux, 1911: 231 (in part). ―Stebbing, 1906: 528 (in part). ― Bulycheva, 1957: 135, pl. 50.

Not Orchestia fischeri . ―Guerin, 1831. ― Guerin, 1836. ― Lucas, 1846.

Types. None designated.

Type locality. None designated.

Diagnosis. Based on male. Gnathopod 2 propodus ovate, palm extremely acute, convex, extending about 70- 75% of posterior margin, without rounded protuberance near dactylar hinge, with large distal sinus, robust setae along margin unknown, with large mid-palmar protuberance, posteroproximal corner without spine; dactylus length unknown. Pereopods 6–7 longer than pereopods 3–5. Pereopod 6 much longer than pereopod 7; basis grossly enlarged, subovate. Pleonites 1-2 each with 2 dorsodistal spines. Pleonite 3 without dorsal spines. Uropod 3 ramus subequal in length to peduncle. Telson with marginal and apical robust setae, with more than 10 robust setae.

Remarks. Based on the one habitus illustration of A. fischeri (H. Milne Edwards, 1840) the species has a unique pleonite dorsal spine formula, a unique large mid-palmar protuberance on the male gnathopod 2 palm and an enlarged oval-shaped basis on the male pereopod 6 not shared with any other species of Africorchestia . These characteristics indicate a very distinctive species, however the lack of type material, the lack of a type locality and the lack of morphological detail in the habitus illustration makes O. fischeri a puzzling species.

Distribution. Not known.