Amaryllis moona, Lowry & Stoddart, 2002

Lowry, J. K. & Stoddart, H. E., 2002, The Amaryllididae of Australia (Crustacea: Amphipoda: Lysianassoidea), Records of the Australian Museum 54, pp. 129-214 : 160-163

Amaryllis moona n.sp.

Figs. 26, 27

Type material. HOLOTYPE, female, 8.2 mm, AM P 37243; 2 PARATYPES, male, AM P 37371; Summercloud Bay , Wreck Bay, New South Wales, Australia, 35°10'S 150°42'E, 9–15 m, sponges, ascidians and algal holdfasts on underside of rocks , P. Hutchings , 29 November 1971, stn NSW-228. 1 PARATYPE, male, 4.8 mm, AM P 37372, off Moona Moona Creek , Jervis Bay , NSW, Australia, Tasman Sea, 35°03.5'S 150°41'E, 8 m, algae and sponge on sandy rocks and mussels , J. K. Lowry, 19 June 1982, stn NSW-113 .

Type locality. Summercloud Bay , Wreck Bay, NSW, Australia, 35°10'S 150°42'E, 9–15 m depth .

Description. Based on holotype female, 8.2 mm, AM P37243. Head much deeper than long, anterior margin with notch extended into a slit; rostrum absent; eye present, elongate, reniform. Antenna 1 peduncular article 1 not ballshaped proximally, distal margin with small medial spine; peduncular article 2 medium length; flagellum without callynophore, calceoli absent. Antenna 2 flagellum about as long as that of antenna 1, without calceoli. Mouthpart bundle subconical. Epistome/upper lip almost straight (lateral view). Mandible lacinia mobilis a stemmed cuplike blade; accessory setal row without intermediate setae; palp article 2 with 1 posterodistal seta, article 3 without A3-seta. Maxilliped outer plate with distal margin serrate, medial margin without notch.

Gnathopod 1 carpus longer than propodus (1.2×); propodus, posterior margin without robust setae. Gnathopod 2 palm slightly acute, without lateral robust setae, 1 medial robust seta. Pereopods 3 and 4 merus and carpus without 2, P3–7 represent 0.5 mm; remainder represent 0.1 mm.

setal fringe. Pereopod 4 coxa with anterior and posterior margins subparallel, anteroventral corner rounded. Pereopods 5–7 with distal articles elongate, dactyls short and stocky. Pereopod 5 basis expanded posteriorly, rounded. Pereopod 7 basis rounded posteriorly, posteroventral corner rounded, posteroventral margin curved.

Epimeron 3 posterior margin smooth, with notch well above rounded posteroventral corner. Uropod 1 peduncle dorsolateral margin with 7 robust setae; outer ramus without large spines between robust setae. Uropod 2 inner ramus slightly constricted. Uropod 3 rami lanceolate; without plumose setae; outer ramus 1-articulate. Telson moderately cleft (about 34%).

Male (sexually dimorphic characters). Based on paratype male, 4.8 mm, AM P 37372. Antenna 1 flagellum with callynophore. Antenna 2 flagellum with calceoli. Mandible palp article 2 with 7 posterodistal setae .

Etymology. Named for Moona Moona Creek.

Remarks. Amaryllis moona belongs to the group of species with a smooth posterior margin on epimeron 3 and a rounded posteroventral corner on the basis of pereopod 7. Within this group it is similar to A. brevicornis in having a nearly straight upper lip, but A. moona has significantly less robust setae at the corner of the palm of gnathopod 2 than does A. brevicornis . Amaryllis moona and A. quokka are the only two Amaryllis species with a cup-shaped lacinia mobilis; A. moona can be distinguished from A. quokka by the serrate distomedial margin of the maxilliped outer plate and the slightly acute palm on gnathopod 2.

Habitat. Amaryllis moona has been found only rarely, among mixed algae and sedentary invertebrates.

Distribution. Known only from the Jervis Bay area on the southeast coast of Australia; 8–15 m depth.