Australophialus utinomii Tomlinson, 1969

Botha, Thomas P. A. & Griffiths, Charles L., 2021, South African Acrothoracica (Crustacea: Cirripedia), Zootaxa 4949 (1), pp. 45-78 : 52-55

Australophialus utinomii Tomlinson, 1969

Figs 5 , 6

Australophialus utinomii Tomlinson, 1969: 119–121 .— Kolbasov 2009: 354, fig. 127.

Deposited material. SAMC-A091096 , near East London , Eastern Cape, April 2017, 79 specimens in 7 Burnupena cincta shells (4 not deposited, used for SEM and genetic analyses) . SAMC-A091097 , near East London , Eastern Cape, April 2017, 29 specimens in 5 Burnupena cincta shells (11 not deposited, used for SEM and genetic analyses) . SAMC-A091099 , Gonubie , Eastern Cape, 27 April 2017, 6 specimens in Mancinella capensis shell . SAMC-A091098 , Chintsa West, Eastern Cape, 26 April 2017, 6 specimens in 2 Dinoplax gigas shell plates. SAMC- A091100, near East London , Eastern Cape, April 2017, 7 specimens in 3 Turbo sarmaticus shells . SAMC-A091101 , near East London , Eastern Cape, April 2017, 81 specimens from 4 Turbo sarmaticus shells (4 not deposited, used for dissections) . SAMC-A091102 , Gonubie , Eastern Cape, 27 April 2017, 4 specimens in Ranella gemmifera shell . SAMC-A091093 , Isipingo , KwaZulu-Natal, 21 September 2017, 44 specimens in Purpura panama shell (34 deposited, 10 used for dissections) . SAMC-A091091 , Banana Beach, Port Shepstone , KwaZulu-Natal, 20 September 2017, 35 specimens from 2 Purpura panama shells . SAMC-A091092 , Banana Beach, Port Shepstone, KwaZulu-Natal , 20 September 2017, 5 specimens in Purpura panama shell . SAMC-A091094 , Banana Beach, Port Shepstone , KwaZulu-Natal, 20 September 2017, 7 specimens in Purpura bufo shell . SAMC-A091095 , Port Shepstone, KwaZulu-Natal , 19 September 2017, 1 specimen from Dinoplax validifossus shell plate .

Other records. PP08, Banana Beach, Port Shepstone , KwaZulu-Natal, 20 September 2017, 2 specimens from Purpura panama shell .

Diagnosis. Similar to A. turbonis , but without the distinctive notch in opercular margin, rather has an entire margin in shape of small shield, no prominent hooks or spines, fringed with small, numerous bifid teeth.

Description. Female, body shape characteristic of cryptophialids, with mantle bottle-like and neck elongated (fig. 5A). Length 0.65–2 mm (mean = 1.18 mm), width 0.4–0.95 mm (mean = 0.68 mm). Opercular bars with average length 0.35 mm, with plenty of setae and simple, bifid and rarely trifid teeth on margin (fig. 6D, E). Large teeth and setae present in posterior part of opercular bar (fig. 6B). Anterior end of opercular bar elongated with several teeth and setae (fig. 6E). Comb collar consisting of small projections fused at their bases (fig. 6A). Surface of opercular area striated (as is whole of mantle), with small multifid scales (fig. 6F). Pair of lateral bars support either side of mantle, these bars pointed and associated with 3–4 rows of small teeth. Reinforcing bar found within apertural region at anterior end. Colour light brown/white when fresh, becoming slightly paler when preserved in alcohol. Burrow opening small, oval-shaped (fig. 5B).

Four pairs of biramous, multi-annulated terminal cirri present (fig. 5C). Pair of rudimentary uniramous, unsegmented mouth cirri present on anterio-ventral thorax area, posterior to mouth. Labrum pronounced, tongue-shaped and extends far beyond opercular area; large in comparison to others of this genus (fig. 6D). Mouthparts typical of genus, a pair of mandibles with palps present, along with a pair of maxillae and maxillules. One dorsal body process present. Females with maximum of four dwarf males recorded. Dwarf males 0.29 x 0.16 mm. Cypris larvae 0.25 x 0.15 mm (fig. 5D)

Hosts. Previously known only from Dinoplax gigas . Additional hosts in the Eastern Cape include Burnupena cincta , Mancinella capensis , Ranella gemmifera and Turbo sarmaticus . Additional hosts in KwaZulu-Natal include Dinoplax validifossus , Purpura bufo and P. panama .

Distribution. Type locality Qolora (3241’50.5”S, 2822’25.1”E), Eastern Cape, roughly 50 km east of East London. Ranges from Gonubie (3256’33.8”S, 2802’00.9”E) to Isipingo (2959’44.1”S, 3057’00.8”E). Endemic to Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal.

Remarks. Common, often in association with Kochlorine bocqueti Turquier, 1977 , Kochlorine sp. A and Weltneria spinosa Berndt, 1907 . Due to its small size, attempts to dissect this species were not as successful as others.

Figures

FIGURE 5. Australophialus utinomii from Ranella gemmifera collected at Gonubie, female (A–B), D—cypris larva. A—Lateral view of whole specimen, right side; B—Burrow opening; C—Terminal cirri; D—Cypris larva, lateral view. Abbreviations: bo—burrow opening.

FIGURE 6. Australophialus utinomii from Burnupena cincta collected near East London. Scanning electron microscopy of general morphology and external features, female. A—comb collar; B—Magnified view of simple tooth at posterior margin of opercular bar; C—Terminal cirri (broken) protruding out of aperture; D—Opercular area, fronto-lateral view; E—Rostral area of opercular bar with spines and setae; F—Surface of lateral opercular area with multifid scales. Abbreviations: cc—comb collar, ob—opercular bar, tc—terminal cirri.