Ampithoe waialua J.L. Barnard, 1970

Hughes, L. E. & Lowry, J. K., 2009, Ampithoidae *, Zootaxa 2260 (1), pp. 153-219 : 167-171

Ampithoe waialua J.L. Barnard, 1970

( Figs 9 , 10 , Pl. 1C)

Ampithoe waialua J.L. Barnard, 1970 a: 53 : figs 20, 21. –J.L. Barnard, 1970 b: 34, 37: figs 9w, 10w, 11w, 12w, 13w. — Barnard & Karaman, 1991: 103.

Ampithoe hiana Peart, 2007b: 27 , figs 18–21.

Material examined. 1 male, AM P61836 ( QLD 1333 ) ; 1 female, AM P61837 ( QLD 1333 ) ; 1 unsexed, photo 2, AM P70796 ( QLD 1670 ) ; 1 dissected male, 8.0 mm, 4 slides, AM P76974 ( QLD 1770 ) ; 1 dissected female, 7.5 mm, 5 slides, AM P76976 ( QLD 1770 ) ; 1 unsexed, AM P76981 ( QLD 1770 ) ; 9 unsexed, AM P76975 ( QLD1894 ) ; 11 unsexed, AM P76978 ( QLD 1897 ) ; 2 unsexed, AM P75660 ( QLD 1945 ) ; 2 unsexed, AM P76980 ( QLD 1948 ) ; 1 unsexed, AM P76979 ( QLD 1966 ) ; 13 unsexed, AM P75658 ( QLD 1966 ) ; 5 unsexed, AM P75657 ( QLD 1967 ) ; 4 unsexed, AM P75659 ( QLD 1969 ) ; many unsexed, AM P76977 ( QLD 2006 ) .

Type locality. 1 mile north of Kualoa Point , Oahu, Hawaiian Islands (~ 21°30’00”N 157°50’00”W), intertidal in algae and dead coral heads .

Description. Based on male, 5 mm, AM P61836.

Head. Head as long as deep. Antenna 1 longer than antenna 2; peduncular article 1 subequal to article 2; flagellum 18 articles; accessory flagellum absent. Antenna 2 peduncle not densely setose on ventral margin; article 4 longer than article 5; flagellum 10 articles. Upper lip directed nearly straight down, lateral margins each with midlateral notch. Mandible molar well developed, triturating, accessory setal row with 4 serrate setae; palp 3–articulate, marginally setose; article 1 shorter than article 2; article 2 subequal in length to article 3, slender setae present. Lower lip outer plates forming a deep medial notch, lateral lobe distinctly longer than medial lobe; mandibular lobe with curved margins, rounded apically. Maxilla 1 inner plate with 1 setae; palp article 2 slender. Maxilla 2 inner plate narrower than outer plate. Maxilliped outer plate with row of large robust setae along medial margin.

Pereon. Coxae 1–4 deeper than broad. Gnathopod 1 subequal in size to gnathopod 2; coxa larger than coxa 2, anteroventrally produced, anterior margin straight, anteroventral corner rounded; basis subequal in length to coxa, anterodistal lobe rounded, with 1 slender seta; merus posterodistal lobe subacute; carpus about as long as broad, shorter than propodus, anterior margin with 2 robust setae, posterior margin subacute; propodus narrow, subrectangular; palm acute, excavate, with a posterodistal tooth, with 1 robust seta defining palm; dactylus overreaching palm, inner margin crenate. Gnathopod 2 coxa without long, plumose setal fringe on ventral margin; basis with sparse slender setae, anterodistal corner with 2 robust setae; merus margin with short, subacute anterodistal lobe; carpus shorter than propodus, subtriangular, anterior margin with single robust seta; propodus broad, less than 1.5 x as long as broad, subovoid, produced into an anterodistally setose lobe, anterior margin with fringe of slender setae; palm acute, concave, with posterodistal tooth, short (length 1 x breadth), apically acute, without palm defining robust seta; dactylus equal in length to palm, tapering evenly, apically acute, inner margin crenate. Pereopods 3–4 basis slightly expanded; merus longer than carpus. Pereopods 5–7 weakly prehensile. Pereopod 5 basis with 2 anteroproximal robust setae, without medial slender setae; distal articles slender; propodus not expanded distally, with 3 anterodistal striated robust setae; dactylus slightly curved. Pereopod 6 basis posterior margin rounded, with several marginal robust setae; distal articles slender; propodus not expanded distally, with 3 anterodistal striated robust setae; dactylus slightly curved. Pereopod 7 similar to pereopod 6.

Pleon. Epimera 2–3 posteroventral corner broadly rounded. Uropod 1 peduncle with 8 robust setae, with long fringe of slender setae (greater than 0.5 x length of peduncle), distoventral spine absent; outer ramus with 3 lateral robust setae; inner ramus with 3 lateral robust setae. Uropod 2 peduncle with 3 robust setae; outer ramus with 3 lateral robust setae; inner ramus with 3 lateral robust setae. Uropod 3 peduncle longer than broad, more than 2 x length of rami, without marginal slender setae, with 3 distal robust setae, without distal slender setae; outer ramus with 2 large recurved distal robust setae, without lateral robust or slender setae; inner ramus with 1 distal slender seta, with 3 lateral robust setae. Telson subtriangular, apically rounded, with small apical cusp on each distolateral corner, with 2 pair of lateral and 1 pair of apical slender setae and with 1 pair of apical plumose setae.

Female (sexually dimorphic characters). Based on female, 6 mm, AM P61837. Gnathopod 1 subequal in size to gnathopod 2; basis subequal in length to coxa; carpus anterior margin with slender setae; palm straight, with posterodistal corner acute; dactylus subequal in length to palm. Gnathopod 2 basis anterodistal corner with 1 slender setae; propodus not produced into an anterodistally setose lobe; palm straight, slightly produces at palmar defining robust setae; dactylus subequal in length to palm.

Colour. Body pale pink with small brown spots and large white spots.

Habitat. Brown algae, mainly Dictyota sp , as well as on red algae, submerged mooring rope and hydroids.

Remarks. Ampithoe hiana Peart, 2007b is placed in synonymy with Ampithoe waialua J.L. Barnard, 1970 a , originally described from Hawaii. Great Barrier Reef material of A. waialua differs only slightly from the original description. Male and females of Ampithoe waialua from the GBR have slender setae present on the anterior margin of the gnathopod 1 propodus and more robust setae on the uropod 1 peduncle. In the Hawaiian types the slender setae are apparently absent and there more robust setae on uropod 2 rami.

Ampithoe waialua is superficially similar to two other GBR species, A. katae and A. cookana , in the form of the male gnathopods. However these species can be distinguished by the palm of male gnathopod 1, which is excavate in A. waialua and entire in A. katae and A. cookana . Living specimens A. waialua and A. katae can be distinguished by colour. Ampithoe waialua is pale pink with small brown spots and larger white splotches, while A. katae is translucent orange.

Distribution. Australia. Queensland: Torres Strait (current study); Heron Island ( Peart 2007b); One Tree Island (current study). USA. Hawaiian Islands: Kualoa Point, Oahu (J.L. Barnard 1970 a).

Figures

FIGURE 9. Ampithoe waialua J.L. Barnard, 1970, male, 5 mm, AM P61836, Heron Island, Great Barrier Reef (based on Peart 2007b).

FIGURE 10. Ampithoe waialua J.L. Barnard, 1970, male, 5 mm, AM P61836, paratype, female, 6 mm, AM P61837, Heron Island, Great Barrier Reef (based on Peart 2007b).