Prolanceola Woltereck, 1907

Zeidler, Wolfgang, 2009, A review of the hyperiidean amphipod superfamily Lanceoloidea Bowman & Gruner, 1973 (Crustacea: Amphipoda: Hyperiidea), Zootaxa 2000, pp. 1-117 : 66

Genus Prolanceola Woltereck, 1907

Prolanceola Woltereck, 1907: 130 . Bowman & Gruner 1973: 22. Vinogradov et al. 1982: 88.

Type species. Prolanceola vibiliformis Woltereck, 1907 by monotypy. The unique type, a male measuring about 12 mm, could not be found in any major European museum and is considered lost. Fortunately, this is a very distinctive species, readily distinguished by Woltereck’s description and figure of the male, later supported by a description and figure of a female ( Woltereck 1909). The type locality is the Indian Ocean, near the Cocos Islands [10°08’S 97°14’E]; Valdivia Stn. 182.

Diagnosis. Body length up to 14 mm. Cuticle with distinct hexagonal markings. Pereon not inflated. Head without rostrum or slightly produced upwards and forwards medially. Eyes consist of chain of five (in groups of 2 & 3) sub-cuticular ocelli, extending dorsally on side of head. Antennae 1 with large callynophore (narrow in female) with one short and two elongated articles. Antennae 2 slightly longer than 1.5x A1; with multiarticulate (5–7 articles) flagellum. Mandibles with rectangular body; third article of palp slightly longer than first and second combined. Maxillae 1; palp without feathered setae on outer distal corner; inner lobe ovalshaped. Maxillae 2 with broad lobes; inner margin of both lobes with row of strong setae together with more slender and longer setae arising from the same base. Gnathopod 1 subchelate, with distally expanded carpus; propodus produced distally into rounded lobes above and below insertion of dactylus. Gnathopod 2 simple. Pereopods 3–5 without retractile dactyls. Pereopods 6 & 7 with small, retractile dactyls; propodus without spoon-shaped process but with large hollow for dactylus. Pereopod 7 with small round/oval-shaped, flat appendage, fringed with fine setae, located midway at base next to coxa.

Monospecific

Sexual dimorphism. Females have a slightly more robust pereon and the slight dorsal keel of the pereon and pleon is more prominent, with the distal corner of pleonites 2 & 3 sometimes more projected. In males the antennae are relatively longer but their relative lengths are the same as for females and the callynophore of the first antennae is markedly broadened proximally, where as in females it tapers gradually. The presence of genital papillae could not be determined in the only male specimen available for study.

Remarks. This is a very distinctive genus as noted above. In addition, in the only known species, both sexes have a plate-like appendage at the base of the seventh pereopods; a structure that is not known for any other species of Hyperiidea . The function of this appendage is unknown.