Hoplomachus Gutu, 2002

Larsen, Kim & Shimomura, Michitaka, 2006, Tanaidacea (Crustacea: Peracarida) from Japan. I. Apseudomorpha from the East China Sea, Seto Inland Sea, and Nansei Islands, Zootaxa 1341, pp. 29-48 : 33-35

Genus Hoplomachus Gutu, 2002

Diagnosis of both genders (modified from Gutu, 2002)

Pereonites 3–6 with one or two anterolateral spiniform processes. Pleon with five pleonites. Antennule biramous, first article with well defined outer distal spine and several spines on inner margin. Antenna with squama. Mandibles with triarticulated palp. Labial palp with three stout apical setae. Maxillule with biarticulated palp. Maxilliped palp article 2 with two stout outer setae; endite without leaf­shaped setae. Cheliped with exopod, merus and carpus with ventral spine, carpus short, (0.75 times as long as propodus in female, less than 0.5 times in male). Pereopod 1 with exopod, coxa with spiniform apophysis and setae, basis with at least one dorsal spine. Five pairs of pleopods present.

Remarks

Some additional diagnostic characters were suggested by Gutu (2002) such as: pleotelson with two lateral spines; pereopod 1 with plumose setae alternating with spines; pereopod 2–6 merus and carpus of subequal length. These characters are not present in the new species described below and may be regarded as specific, rather than generic, characters. One additional character, pereonites 2–6 with anterolateral tuberculiform processes, was suggested by Gutu (2002). It can here be verified that the type species, and only other species in the genus Hoplomachus , H. propinquus ( Richardson, 1903) ( Gutu & Iliffe 1985:56, fig. 1A) does display two anterolateral processes, but these are obviously spiniform and not tuberculiform.

Males are easily differentiated by a large penial cone and a much heavier cheliped.

The genus is currently placed within the family Apseudidae , but certain characters (especially the pleon and male cheliped) suggest that this genus is more closely related to the Metapseudidae (Hansknecht, pers. comm.). As a higher level systematic resolution is not the topic of this study, the genus is for the time being kept in the Apseudidae .