Bamarooka, 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 : 175

Bamarooka n.gen.

Diagnosis. Mouthpart bundle subconical. Mandible palp article 3 without A3-seta. Pereopod 4 coxa with anterior margin slightly obtuse, posterior margin rounded. Pereopods 5–7 with distal articles elongate. Uropod 3 rami lanceolate; without plumose setae in male and female; outer ramus 1- articulate.

Type species. Amaryllis bathycephala Stebbing, 1888 .

Species composition. Bamarooka contains six species: B. anomala n.sp.; B. bathycephala (Stebbing, 1888) ; B. dinjerra n.sp.; B. endota n.sp.; B. kimbla n.sp. and B. tropicalis n.sp.

Etymology. Bamarooka is an Australian Aboriginal word meaning “oval shield”, an allusion to coxa 4.

Remarks. Species of Bamarooka are mainly tropical amphipods distinguished from other amaryllidines by their strangely shaped coxa 4. Species level variation in Bamarooka is high, particularly in the eyes and the basis of pereopods 5 to 7. Bamarooka also occurs outside Australia, in New Caledonia (unpublished records) (see Fig. 41).

Distribution. Northwestern, northern and eastern coasts of Australia; New Caledonia; 2–175 m depth.