Latigammaropsis dionysus, Myers, 2009

Myers, Alan A., 2009, Photidae *, Zootaxa 2260 (1), pp. 771-799 : 780-781

Latigammaropsis dionysus sp. nov.

( Figs 7 , 8 )

Type material. Holotype, male, 3.0 mm, AM P 70966, 200 m north of Bird Islet , Lizard Island (14°41’28”S 145°27’53”E), mixed coralline algae & epiphytes from shallow reef flat, 2.6 m, R. T. Springthorpe, 26 February 2005 ( QLD 1687 ) . Paratypes: 4 males, 8 females, 1 juvenile, AM P75458, same data as holotype .

Additional material examined. 1 male, 2 females, AM P70786 ( QLD 1668 ) ; 2 males, 2 females, AM P70984 ( QLD 1693 ) ; 1 male, 1 female, AM P71327 ( QLD 1783 ) ; 5 males, 8 females, 4 juveniles, AM P71552 ( QLD 1823 ) ; 2 males, 3 females, AM P71571 ( QLD 1823 ) ; 1 male, 2 females, AM P71574 ( QLD 1829 ) .

Type locality. 200 m north of Bird Islet , Lizard island, Queensland, Australia (14°41’28”S 145°27’53”E) .

Etymology. Greek mythology: Dionysus , the God of wine.

Description. Based on holotype, male, 3.0 mm, AM P70966.

Head. Head lateral cephalic lobes rounded, anteroventral margin strongly recessed, extending behind posterior margin of eye. Eye round, large (1/4 or more of head length), partially situated within the lateral lobe. Labrum epistome absent. Mandible palp article 3 distinctly shorter than article 2; spatulate, widest subdistally. Antenna 1 peduncular article 1 a little longer than article 3; flagellum with 9 articles; accessory flagellum distinct and multiarticulate. Antenna 2 short, distinctly less than 1/2 body length; flagellum distinctly longer than peduncular article 5, with 6 articles.

Pereon. Coxae 1–2 without spines on distal margin. Coxa 1 not distally acute. Gnathopod 1 distinctly different in size from gnathopod 2; carpus anterior margin with fine setae only, subequal in length to propodus; propodus between 1.5 and 3 x as long as wide, posterodistal margin evenly rounded. Gnathopod 2 basis anterior margin with few setae; carpus with distinct free posterior expansion; propodus very long, 4 x as long as carpus, posterodistal margin with robust seta, and with a single excavation; dactylus short, distinctly half or less than half length of propodus. Pereopod 3 merus with few setae on anterior margin. Pereopods 5–7 basis with few setae. Pereopod 5 basis extremely expanded, as long as broad.

Pleon. Urosomites 1–2 without dorsolateral spines. Epimeron 3 posterodistal margin rounded. Uropod 1 peduncle with short distoventral spine; rami distinctly unequal in length. Uropod 2 peduncle without distoventral spine; rami subequal in length. Uropod 3 biramous; peduncle subequal to the longest ramus; both rami well developed; outer ramus with terminal fine setae. Telson with terminal robust seta on each side.

Female (sexually dimorphic characters). Based on paratype female 3.1 mm, AM P75458. Gnathopod 2 propodus less than 2.5 x length of carpus, palm without distinct excavation .

Habitat. Coralline algae and rubble.

Remarks. Latigammaropsis dionysus sp. nov. resembles L. afra ( Stebbing, 1888) , but has a round eye, whereas in L. afra it is reniform. It also differs markedly from L. afra in the weakly acute palm of the male gnathopod 2. It is more similar to material described by J.L. Barnard (1970) from Hawaii under the name Gammaropsis afra . In Hawaiian material, however, the male gnathopod 2 palm is convoluted whereas in present material the palm is almost straight. This species differs from L. athenae in lacking long setae on the male gnathopod 2. It is very similar to L. hermes sp. nov. (see remarks section for that species).

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

Figures

FIGURE 7. Latigammaropsis dionysus gen. nov., sp. nov., holotype, male, 3.0 mm, AM P70966, 200 m north of Bird Islet, Lizard island, Great Barrier Reef.

FIGURE 8. Latigammaropsis dionysus gen. nov., sp. nov., holotype, male, 3.0 mm, paratype, female 3.1 mm, AM P70966, 200 m north of Bird Islet, Lizard island, Great Barrier Reef.