Epikopais waringa, Merrin, 2009

Merrin, Kelly L., 2009, Epikopais gen. nov. (Isopoda: Asellota: Munnopsidae), a new genus of munnopsid isopod with three new species from the south-western Pacific., Memoirs of Museum Victoria 66 (1), pp. 129-145 : 139-144

Epikopais waringa sp. nov.

Figures 8–11

Material examined. All material from south-eastern Australia. Holotype. Female (2.0 mm), off Freycinet Peninsula, Tas., stn SLOPE 47 , 41°58.60'S, 148°38.80'E, 27 July 1986, WHOI epibenthic sled, 500 m, RV Franklin, coarse shell ( NMV J18860 ). Paratypes. 1 female (2.0 mm), type locality, ( NMV J54113 ). 1 male (1.5 mm, dissected), south of Point Hicks , Vic., stn SLOPE 34 , 38°16.40'S, 149°27.60'E, 23 July 1986, WHOI epibenthic sled, 800 m RV Franklin, ( NMV J18859 ) .

Additional material. 1 female, south of Point Hicks , Vic., stn SLOPE 32 , 38°21.90'S, 149°20.0'E, 23 July 1986, WHOI epibenthic sled, 1000 m RV Franklin ( NMV J18858 ) .

Description. Female. Body length 1.6 times pereonite 2; cuticle not highly calcified, smooth. Cephalon anterior margins with few scattered setae; anterior cephalic flanges flap-like. Pereonites 1–4 anterior margins with SS, pereonite 5 anterior margin smooth; anterolateral margins of pereonites 3 and 4 with small lobes; pereonites 6 and 7 ventrally with no ornamentation. Pleon length 0.7 times proximal width, with scattered SS.

Antenna 1 of 8 articles; article 1 with distal extension, length 1.8 times width, distal margin with 1 RS, 2 SS and 1 penicillate seta, distal extension with 1 penicillate seta; article 2 length 0.5 times article 1 length, distal margin with 2 penicillate setae; article 4 with 2 penicillate setae; terminal article with 1 SS and 1 aesthetasc.

Operculum length 4.1 times proximal width, medial keel wide, flat, rounded, with few plumose setae and laterally with many fine SS, distal surface with 1 plumose seta and few scattered SS, distally with medial excision, margins anterolaterally with 5 sub-marginal SS (2+3), laterally with numerous plumose setae.

Male. Antenna 1 of 31 articles; article 1 length 1.6 times width, distal margin with 3 sensillate RS, 1 penicillate seta and 1 SS, distal extension with 1 sensillate RS; article 2 length 0.5 times article 1 length, distal margin with 2 penicillate setae; article 3 with 1 SS; article 4 with 2 penicillate setae; article 7 with 1 SS; terminal article with 1 SS and 1 aesthetasc. Antenna 2 damaged; article 1 lateral margin with 1 RS, surface with 2 SS; article 2 length 1.3 times article 1 length, distolateral margin with 2 RS distally with 2 SS; article 3 length 1.4 times article 1 length with 2 sensillate RS and 3 RS along distal rim, scale with 1 RS; article 4 length 1.7 times article 1 length, with no ornamentation.

Mandible spine row present, with 3 short spines; molar distally with 2 serrate setae. Maxilla 1 lateral and mesial margins with fine SS; lateral lobe width 1.5 times mesial lobe width, distal margin with few fine SS, 10 RS and 2 dentate RS, mesial lobe distally with 3 SS, few fine SS and 2 long pectinate setae. Maxilla 2 lateral lobe margins with fine SS; middle lobe as wide as lateral lobe; mesial lobe width 1.7 times lateral lobe width, mesial and distal margins with fine SS, distally with 7 setae (unable to identify type) and 1 long pectinate seta. Maxilliped coxa length 1.7 times width, and length 0.5 times basis length; basis length 4.2 times width, with 1 SS; endite with 2 coupling hooks, 2 toothed setae, 4 fan setae and few fine SS; palp article 1 distomesial margin with 1 SS; article 2 length 4.2 times article 1 length, lateral margin with cuticular scales and 1 SS, mesial margin with 2 distally pappose setae and 1 SS; article 3 length 1.9 times article 1 length, lateral margin with 1 SS, mesial margin with 2 SS and 4 distally pappose setae; article 4 length 0.8 times article 1 length, lateral margin with 1 SS and 2 distally pappose setae; article 5 length 0.6 times article 1 length, with 2 SS and 2 distally pappose setae; epipod length 1.6 times width, margins with cuticular scales.

Pereopod 1 basis length 4.6 times width, inferior margin with cuticular scales, and 3 SS, superior margin with 2 SS and 1 penicillate seta; ischium length 3.5 times width, inferior margin with 1 SS and cuticular scales, superior margin with 1 SS; merus length 1.3 times width, inferior margin with 3 SS, lateral surface with 1 SS, distosuperior margin with 2 SS; carpus length 3.6 times width, inferior margin with 2 SS and cuticular scales, superior margin with 2 SS; propodus length 4.9 times width, inferior margin with 5 SS (4 distally), distosuperior margin with 2 SS; dactylus length 2.6 times proximal width, distosuperior margin with 3 SS.

Pereopod 5 basis length 3.0 times width, inferior margin with 3 SS, superior margin with 1 sensillate RS, 2 penicillate setae and 1 SS; ischium length 1.8 times width, inferior margin with 2 SS, superior margin with 1 SS; merus length 1.3 times width, inferior margin with 4 SS, distosuperior margin with 1 SS and 1 plumose seta; carpus length 1.3 times width, lateral surface with 1 SS; propodus length 2.5 times width, lateral surface with 2 SS, distosuperior margin with 1 sensillate RS and 1 penicillate seta; dactylus length 2.7 times proximal width, with 4 small SS.

Pereopod 6 basis length 3.7 times width, inferior margin with 7 SS and 1 penicillate seta; ischium length 1.9 times width, inferior margin with 3 SS; merus length 1.4 times width, inferior margin with 3 SS, distosuperior margin with 1 SS and 1 plumose seta; carpus length 1.1 times width; propodus length 2.9 times width, distally with 1 SS, superior margin with 2 RS and 1 penicillate seta; dactylus length 3.1 times proximal width, with 4 small distal SS.

Pereopod 7 basis missing; ischium length 2.9 times width, inferior margin with 5 SS; merus length 1.3 times width, inferior margin with 2 SS, distosuperior margin with 1 plumose setae and 1 SS; carpus length 1.7 times width, distosuperior margin with 1 SS; propodus length 5.2 times width, distosuperior margin with 1 sensillate RS and 1 penicillate seta; dactylus length 7.1 times proximal width, superior margin with 2 SS; unguis damaged.

Male pleopod 1 length 6.7 times proximal height, central margin with 8 SS, distally with 7 SS. Male pleopod 2 protopod length 2.2 times width, lateral margin with row of plumose setae, surface with 2 SS, distally with lamellar extension, mesial margin with 3 SS; exopod length 0.2 times protopod length with fine SS; stylet long, hooked up into protopod, length 2.5 times protopod length; sperm duct length 0.8 times stylet length. Pleopod endopod length 1.5 times width, with 3 long plumose setae; exopod with 4 long plumose setae and 1 SS. Pleopod 4 endopod length 1.3 times width. Pleopod 5 length 1.5 times width.

Uropod protopod length 1.3 times width, lateral margin with 3 plumose setae, distal margin with 1 plumose setae and 6 robust SS, mesial margin with 1 plumose seta, surface with 3 SS; exopod length 0.5 times protopod length, with 2 SS; endopod length 0.7 times protopod length, with 4 SS and 1 penicillate seta.

Remarks. Epikopais waringa sp. nov. is defined by: the wide body, which is about 0.7 times as wide as long; anterior margins of pereonites 1–4 with few simple setae; and the triangular operculum keel. For further discussion refer to the comments for E. mystax sp. nov.

Distribution. South-eastern Australia, from Point Hicks, Victoria to Freycinet Peninsula, Tasmania, between 500 and 1000 metres.

Etymology. Waringa is an Aboriginal word meaning sea; noun in apposition.

Figures

Figure 8. Epikopais waringa gen. nov., sp. nov. a–e, female holotype, 2.0 mm (NMV J18860); f, female paratype, 2.0 mm (NMV J54113); g, h, male paratype, 1.5 mm (NMV J18859): a, dorsal view, natasome curled under; b, dorsal view, natasome flat; c, cephalon; d, lateral view; e, dorsal view of pleon; f, left antenna 1; g, right antenna 2; h, left antenna 1. Scale bar = 1 mm, for dorsal and lateral views only.

Figure 9. Epikopais waringa gen. nov., sp. nov. a–i, male paratype 1.5 mm (NMV J18859); j, female paratype, 2 mm (NMV J54113): a, right mandible; b, right mandibular molar; c, left mandible; d, left mandibular molar; e, left maxilla 1; f, right maxilla 2; g, right maxilliped endite; h, right maxilliped; i, left pereopod 1; j, operculum.

Figure 10. Epikopais waringa gen. nov., sp. nov. All figures from male paratype, 1.5 mm (NMV J18859): a, right pereopod 5; b, left pereopod 6; c, right pereopod 7; d, left pleopod 3; e, right pleopod 4; f, left pleopod 5.

Figure 11. Epikopais waringa gen. nov., sp. nov. All figures from male paratype, 1.5 mm (NMV J18859): a, male pleopod 1; b, left pleopod 2; c, left pleopod 2 stylet; d, left uropod; e, endopod and exopod of left uropod.