Platorchestia platensis (KrØyer, 1845) BOLD:AAA2949

As Orchestia platensis KrØyer 1845, p. 304, fig. 2; Platorchestia platensis (KrØyer 1845), Bousfield 1982, p. 26.

Material examined

From the following sampling locations: 8C, 14A, 14C, 16B (see Table 1 and Figure 2 for further details).

Distribution

Found on similar sand beaches and under similar wrack piles as P. monodi . Found in single species samples (that is all three individuals analysed = BOLD:AAA2949), all on the northwest coast of Bermuda at Bailey ’ s Bay (8C), Tynes Bay (14C) and Lagoon Park (16B). One other sample at Tobacco Bay Park (14A) was a mixed sample containing one P. platensis and two P. monodi . Other locations on the northwest coast consisted of single species P. monodi, e.g. Coot Pond (14B), Gibbon ’ s Bay (7A) and Stovell ’ s Bay (5B).

Remarks

During this study this species was first recognized by its distinct molecular signature, which matched specimens identified as P. platensis from BOLD and GenBank . The same species is common on the Atlantic coast of North America, north of Charleston, North Carolina to New Brunswick (Radulovici 2012) . Formalin-preserved specimens have not been checked for the possible occurrence of the two species of Platorchestia by morphological criteria, with the exception of sample 8C.