Bemlos teleporus (K.H. Barnard)

Appadoo, C & Myers, A. A., 2004, Corophiidea (Crustacea: Amphipoda) from Mauritius, Records of the Australian Museum 56 (3), pp. 331-362 : 352

Bemlos teleporus (K.H. Barnard)

Lembos teleporus K.H. Barnard, 1955: 94 , fig. 47.— Ledoyer, 1967: 133, fig. 16–17; 1969: 183; 1973: 52, 91; 1982: 291, fig. 108.— Griffiths, 1973: 280; 1974a: 180.

Lembos podoceroides .— Griffiths, 1973: 278 —synonymized by Griffiths, 1976: 97.

Lembos teleporus .— Ledoyer, 1982: 291, fig. 108.

Bemlos teleporus .— Myers, 1988a: 188.

Material examined. 13, AM P60851, from Turbinaria ornata and Pocockiella variegata from Bain Boeuf (19°59'S 57°36'E), 28 August 1998; 13, 2♀♀, AM P60852, from Padina sp. , Bain Boeuf, 13 December 1999.

Diagnosis. Body (in alcohol) with speckles of brown pigment on head, pleon 2–7 and epimera 1–2. Pereon segment 3 with a well-developed sternal process. Gnathopod 1 coxa subquadrangular; carpus 1.2× as long as broad; propodus narrow proximally, expanded distally, palmar margin with a rounded protuberance close to base of dactylus followed by a shallow semi-elliptical excavation and a weak protuberance at the distal end; dactylus robust, overlapping palm, inner margin weakly crenulate. Gnathopod 2 carpus elongate, 2.4× as long as broad; propodus subrectangular, slightly shorter than carpus; dactylus fitting palm. Epimera 1 and 2 ventral margin rounded; epimeron 3 posterodistal margin with a small notch into which a small seta is inserted. Uropod 3 rami slender, outer ramus 0.8× inner ramus, outer ramus with long; rami with robust setae and terminal setae less than length of rami. Telson with two slender setae on each side.

Female, gnathopod 1 propodus 1.6× carpus and 2× as long as broad, palmar margin with a small protuberance close to base of dactylus followed by a shallow semi-circular excavation and a weakly developed protuberance at distal end. Pereopod 7 long and slender.

Variation. In younger males less than 4.1 mm, a robust seta is present on the posterodistal margin of the palm of gnathopod 1; the dactylus of the male gnathopod 1 slightly overlaps the palm and the dactylus inner margin with welldeveloped teeth. In larger males, the robust seta disappears and the inner margin of the dactylus becomes smooth.

Type locality. South Africa .

Distribution. South Africa, Mozambique?, Madagascar, Mauritius.

Habitat. Bemlos teleporus , was collected from depths less than 1 m. It occurs in habitats similar to that of B. quadrimanus .

Remarks. This species is recorded for the first time from Mauritius. The material closely agrees with the description of Bemlos teleporus given by Ledoyer (1982: 291, fig. 108). The variation in the male gnathopod 1 in small and large specimen is consistent with the observations made by Ledoyer (1982). For differences between this species and B. quadrimanus , see remarks under that species.