Tottungus solivagus, Kilgallen, 2009

Kilgallen, Niamh M., 2009, Urohaustoriidae *, Zootaxa 2260 (1), pp. 919-926 : 920

Tottungus solivagus sp. nov.

( Figs 1 , 2 )

Type material. Holotype, female (immature), 3 mm, AM P76891, beyond reef flat at North-east point, Orpheus Island, Queensland, Australia (~ 18°37'S 146°30'E), sand, 8 m, J.D. Thomas, 15 February 1989 (JDT/ OPH 13).

Additional material examined. 1 specimen, AM P76890 (JDT/OPH 9) ; 1 specimen, AM P76892 (JDT/ OPH 13) .

Type locality. Beyond reef flat at North-east point, Orpheus Island, Queensland, Australia (~ 18º37'S 146º30'E) .

Etymology. Named ‘solivagus’ from the latin meaning ‘wandering alone’, so called because all of the material examined for this species were single specimens sampled from different locations.

Description. Based on the holotype female, 3 mm, AM P76891.

Head. Antenna 1 accessory flagellum 3–4 articulate; primary flagellum 5–6 articulate. Antenna 2 peduncular article 4 main setal row with robust and slender setae, proximal part of row evenly angled. Mandible incisors almost simple, or with 2 weak teeth. Maxilla 1 palp with apical setae only. Maxilliped palp article 2 inflated distally; article 4 blunt.

Pereon. Gnathopod 1 simple; coxa small, anteroventrally curved, slightly larger than coxa 2; carpus with rounded posterior lobe. Gnathopod 2 minutely subchelate, propodus palm slightly acute to transverse. Pereopod 3 coxa large, larger than coxa 4. Pereopod 4 coxa large, posteroventral lobe absent. Pereopod 5 basis much broader than long, without mediofacial brush of setae; dactylus robust, as long as propodus, lacking robust setae. Pereopod 6 basis moderately expanded, margins parallel; merus with few or no slender setae on posterior margin; dactylus well developed. Pereopod 7 coxa without long posterior spine; basis fully expanded, with only slender setae along posteroproximal margin; dactylus well developed, without robust setae.

Pleon. Epimeron 2 subequal in size to epimeron 3, posteroventral corner subquadrate or with small spine, more setose than epimeron 3. Epimeron 3 posteroventral corner narrowly rounded. Uropod 1 inner ramus shorter than outer ramus, fused to peduncle. Uropod 2 inner ramus shorter than outer ramus, fused to peduncle. Uropod 3 outer ramus 2-articulate, inner ramus slightly shorter than article 1 of outer ramus. Telson broader than long, slightly emarginate to entire.

Habitat. Fossorial, in shallow-water marine sand and rubble.

Remarks. This new species is quite similar to its congener, Tottungus tungus . It may be distinguished by the shape of pereopods 5–7. In Tottungus solivagus the basis of pereopod 5 is much broader than long, while being as long as broad in T. tungus . The remaining articles of pereopod 5 are, by contrast, slightly broader in T. tungus than in the present species. The posterior margin of the basis of pereopods 6 and 7 are not as rounded, while the remaining articles appear more slender in the T. solivagus than in T. tungus . The new species also displays fewer robust setae on pereopods 5–7 than T. tungus .

Distribution. Australia: Queensland: Orpheus Island (current study).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Tottungus solivagus sp. nov., holotype female (immature), 3 mm, AM P76891, North-east Point, Orpheus Island, Great Barrier Reef.

FIGURE 2. Tottungus solivagus sp. nov., holotype female (immature), 3 mm, AM P76891, North-east Point, Orpheus Island, Great Barrier Reef.