Metaprotella sandalensis Mayer, 1898

Guerra-García, José M., 2003, The Caprellidea (Crustacea: Amphipoda) from Mauritius Island, Western Indian Ocean, Zootaxa 232, pp. 1-24 : 15

Metaprotella sandalensis Mayer, 1898 ( Fig. 8 )

Metaprotella sandalensis Mayer, 1898: 53 –56, figs. 1–6; Mayer, 1903: 40 –42, pl. 1, figs. 30–31, 34–36, pl. 6, figs. 56–63, pl. 9, figs.16–17, 44, 60 (included f. ralumiana, singaporensis, dolichocephala, gisserana, amboinensis, typica); Müller, 1990: 836 –842, figs. 41–64.

Material examined. BT: 36 males, 41 females, 21 juveniles, on Turbinaria ornata , 3 m, 9 July 2002; AB: 1 males, 3 females, 1 juvenile, on T. ornata , 2 m, 12 July 2002; IB: 4 males, 7 females, 3 juveniles, on T. ornata , 4–5 m, 18 July 2002; BB: 1 male on Jania sp., 2–3 m, 30 July 2002.

Remarks. Metaprotella sandalensis has been recently redescribed in detail by Müller (1990) and the specimens from Mauritius agree with this complete redescription. This species is very common in shallow waters of the tropical Indo­Pacific Ocean ( Müller, 1990). On Mauritius Island, M. sandalensis is also the most abundant and common species. The genus Metaprotella has been recently revised by Larsen (1997) and there are complete keys to the species of Metaprotella ( Larsen, 1997; Guerra­García, 2002a). A molecular approach would probably reveal the existence of cryptic species inside a complex under the name M. sandalensis . In a recent study at Lizard Island, Great Barrier Reef, Australia, the author found a great variety of morphological forms and habitats for M. sandalensis . Further genetic studies are necessary to investigate if the variation among specimens of M. sandalensis is intra­ or interspecific. Müller (1990) reported that M. sandalensis prefers not very exposed locations. Study of material from Australia and Papua New Guinea has revealed that the species can live in many different substrate, having been found on algae, gorgonians, soft corals, sponges, ascidians, soft bottoms, coral rubbles, sea grasses, hydroids, bryozoans and mangroves (Guerra­García, personal observation).

Figures

FIGURE 8. Metaprotella sandalensis Mayer, 1898. Lateral view. A, male; B, female. Scale bar: 1 mm.