Maeropsis cobia, Krapp-Schickel, 2009

Krapp-Schickel, Traudl, 2009, Maeridae, the Ceradocus group *, Zootaxa 2260 (1), pp. 598-642 : 622

Maeropsis cobia sp. nov.

( Figs 17 , 18 )

Maera serratipalma . — Ledoyer, 1983: 546: fig. 208. — Appadoo et al. 2002: 657 , figs 9–11.

Type material. Holotype: male, 3.6 mm, AM P71183, Mermaid Cove , Lizard Island (14°38.91’S 145°27.26’E), encrusting algae & rubble, sand with rubble bottom, 2 m, T. Krapp-Schickel, 28 February 2005 ( QLD 1730 ) . Paratypes, 1, sex unknown, AM P77699, same locality .

Additional material examined. 2 juveniles, AM P70658 ( QLD 1621 ) ; 1 juvenile, AM P77719 ( QLD 1621 ) ; 1 juvenile, AM P70951 ( QLD 1697 ) ; 1 juvenile, AM P71287 ( QLD 1763 ) ; 2 juveniles, AM P71294 ( QLD 1765 ) ; 1 juvenile, AM P71599 ( QLD 1777 ) ; 1 juvenile, AM P71381 ( QLD 1791 ) ; 1 juvenile, AM P71431 ( QLD 1808 ) ; 4 adults, AM P77700 ( SEL / LZI 1-3 ) ; 1 female, 8 juveniles, AM P77718 ( SEL /LZI-2-2) .

Type locality. Mermaid Cove , Lizard Island, Queensland, Australia (14°38.84’S 145°27.24’E) .

Etymology. After Cobia Hole on Lizard Island.

Description. Based on holotype, male, 3.6 mm, AM P71183.

Head. Head lateral cephalic lobe rounded, lacking anteroventral notch. Eye oval. Antenna 1 first two peduncular articles subequal; accessory flagellum with 4 articles. Antenna 2 peduncular article 5 shorter than 4. Mandible palp article 1 with acute distal prolongation, article 3 longer than article 1, shorter than article 2. Maxilla 1 inner plate very slender with 2 terminal setae. Maxilla 2 inner plate slender, slightly slimmer than outer plate, with many distal and a few lateral setae; no mediofacial row of setae.

Pereon. Gnathopod 1 coxa subquadrate with anterodistal margin produced, acute; carpus longer than propodus; propodus with rounded posterior margin. Gnathopod 2 propodus trapezium-shaped, regularly widening distally; palm serrate, with regular toothwaves; incision directly before defining spine on palmar corner very shallow. Pereopods 5–7 basis posterior margin serrated, narrowing distally.

Pleon. Epimera 1–3 all margins smooth, posterodistal corner a little lengthened and upturned. Uropod 3 rami unequal, distally truncate, with a distal and marginal group of robust setae about half length of rami. Telson trapezium-shaped, distally narrowing, truncate, with very shallow excavate lobes, with 1 long and 2 short robust setae inserted.

Female (sexually dimorphic characters). No sexual difference.

Variation. Gnathopod 2 propodus palm lacking incision before defining spine.

Habitat. Encrusting algae and coral rubble, sand with rubble bottom, 1–16 m depth.

Remarks. Both Ledoyer (1983) and Appadoo et al. (2002), named their material Maera serratipalma after the species described by Nagata, (1965). But Nagata's material is more than double size (7–8 mm), gnathopod 1 has a well defined palmar corner and is much less robust, gnathopod 2 has nearly parallel margins on the propodus (here clearly widening distally) and the bases of pereopods 6 and 7 have rounded and lengthened posterodistal lobes, which are not present in the present material; also the telsonic spination is different.

Distribution. Australia. Queensland: Lizard Island (current study). Madagascar ( Ledoyer 1983). Mauritius ( Appadoo et al. 2002).

Figures

FIGURE 17. Maeropsis cobia sp. nov., holotype, male, 3.6 mm, AM P71183, Mermaid Cove, Lizard Island, Great Barrier Reef.

FIGURE 18. Maeropsis cobia sp. nov., holotype, male, 3.6 mm, AM P71183, Mermaid Cove, Lizard Island, Great Barrier Reef.