Podoprionides akantha, Stoddart & Lowry, 2010

Stoddart, H. E. & Lowry, J. K., 2010, The family Opisidae (Crustacea: Amphipoda: Lysianassoidea) in Australasian waters, Zootaxa 2479 (1), pp. 22-38 : 31-33

Podoprionides akantha sp. nov.

( Figs 8 , 9 )

Type material. HOLOTYPE, female, 4.2 mm, MV J61511 , south of Point Hicks , Victoria, Australia, 38°21.90'S 149°20.00'E, 1000 m, epibenthic sled, 23 July 1986, G.C.B. Poore et al., RV Franklin, stn SLOPE 32 .

Type locality. South of Point Hicks , Victoria, Australia, 38°21.90'S 149°20.00'E, 1000 m depth .

Etymology. The species name is a Greek word for a thorn, referring to the small, thorn-like robust setae on the maxilla 1 palp.

Diagnostic description. Antenna 1 callynophore present. Eyes apparently absent. Mouthpart bundle subconical. Mandible left incisor with straight margin, minutely serrate, right with slightly convex margin, smooth; lacinia mobilis absent; molar absent; palp attached extremely proximally, article 2 longer than article 3. Maxilla 1 outer plate with 9 setal teeth in a 6/3 crown arrangement, outer row with cusps in 1 row; palp apical margin not serrate, with apical robust setae. Maxilliped palp imperfectly 3-articulate. Gnathopod 1 chelate; ischium short; carpus posterior margin not produced, curved; propodus subrectangular, proximal margin transverse, palm smooth, posterodistal corner produced into long acute spine, without robust setae. Gnathopod 2 minutely subchelate; carpus much longer than propodus (1.7x); palm transverse. Pereopod 4 coxa posteroproximal excavation small. Pereopods 5–7 basis with minutely serrate posterior margin; dactylus long, slender. Epimeron 3 posterior margin smooth, posteroventral corner broadly rounded. Uropod 3 peduncle shorter than rami, without distoventral spur; inner ramus shorter than outer ramus; outer ramus 2- articulate, article 2 long; rami without robust setae, without plumose setae. Telson longer than broad, moderately cleft (about 62%), without dorsal robust setae.

Male not known.

Remarks. Podoprionides akantha is very similar to P. incerta but differs from it in the presence of apical robust setae on the maxilla 1 palp, the weak serrations on the basis of pereopods 5–7 and the less deeply cleft telson. It differs from P. moonamoona as set out under that species.

Distribution. South-eastern Australia; 1000 m depth.

Figures

FIGURE 8. Podoprionides akantha sp. nov. Holotype female, MV J61511. Scales represent 0.1 mm.

FIGURE 9. Podoprionides akantha sp. nov. Holotype female, MV J61511. Scales represent 0.2 mm.