Epipenaeon grande Nierstrasz et al., 1931

An, Jianmei, Boyko, Christopher B. & Li, Xinzheng, 2014, Review of the parasitic genus Epipenaeon Nobili, 1906 (Crustacea: Isopoda: Bopyridae), with new records and redescription of four species from China, Journal of Natural History 48 (33 - 34), pp. 2027-2048 : 2035-2037

Epipenaeon grande Nierstrasz et al., 1931

( Figure 2)

Epipenaeon grande Nierstrasz et al. 1931: 157–158 ; fig. 18 [Type locality Hong Kong; infesting Penaeus semisulcatus ]. - Nierstrasz et al. 1932: 91, Figure 1 [ Hong Kong; infesting P. semisulcatus ]. - Monod 1933: 220, 222. - Bourdon 1968: 331. - Bourdon 1979b: 429 [synonymy of E. grande with E. ingens ]. - Nearhos and Lester 1984: 257–258.

Material examined

Infesting Fenneropenaeus penicillatus: CIEPE 560604, ♀, CIEPE560605 , ♂, Dongshan , Fujian Province, 117°45’ E, 23°40’ N, 29 March 1956, coll. Zhengang Fan. CIEPE610301 , ♀ , CIEPE610302 , ♂, South China Sea, Stn 6103, 112°00’ E, 20° 30’ N, 23m, 7 November 1959, coll. Jiye Liu. CIEPE560211 , ♀, ♂, Zhelang , Guangdong Province, 115°35’ E, 22°40’ N, 27 February 1956 .

Infesting Penaeus monodon: CIEPE 560639, ♀, CIEPE560640 , ♂, Dongshan , Fujian Province, 117°45’ E, 23°40’ N, 29 March 1956 .

Description of female (CIEPE560604)

Length 18.88 mm, maximal width 14.78 mm across third pereomere, head length 2.70 mm, head width 3.87 mm, pereon length 9.13 mm, frontal lamina length 0.29 mm ( Figure 2A, B).

Head inverted triangular shape, anterior margin with bulging strip, eyes on boundary between bulge and thin frontal lamina ( Figure 2A). Antennae and antennules ( Figure 2C) with four and three articles each, respectively, without setae on terminal articles. Barbula ( Figure 2D) with two pairs of robust digitate projections on each side. Maxilliped ( Figure 2E) nearly triangular, with stout palp, anterior article much larger than posterior.

Pereomeres distinct laterally, fused in median of first six pereomeres; body broadest across third pereomere. First four pereomeres with dorsolateral bosses; all pereomeres with coxal plates, those of longer side larger than on shorter side ( Figure 2A). Brood pouch open medially ( Figure 2B). First oostegite ( Figure 2F, G) with internal ridge tuberculate, and posterolateral point rounded. All pereopods with carinae on bases, with long carpi, short meri, becoming larger posteriorly ( Figure 2H, I).

Five pleomeres with lateral plates; terminal pleomere margin not incised, flattened. Five pairs of biramous pleopods; only tips of shorter side pleopods visible in dorsal view. Uropods biramous; pleopods and uropods tuberculate.

Description of male (CIEPE560605)

Length 5.40 mm, maximal width across fourth pereomere 2.27 mm, head length 0.60 mm, head width 1.27 mm; pereomeres distinct, all pleomeres fused ( Figure 2J, K).

Head a flattened triangle, eyes present ( Figure 2J). Antennae and antennules of five and three articles each, respectfully, terminal articles setose ( Figure 2L).

Pereon broadest across fourth pereomere, last four pereomeres almost equally wide. First three pereopods with longer sharp dactyli and rounded carpi, last four pereopods with shorter dactyli and longer carpi ( Figure 2J).

Pleon fused as single piece, but first pleomeres distinguishable by lateral indentations; three pairs of tuberculate pleopods on ventral surface.

Remarks

Nierstrasz et al. (1931) described this species from a single female collected in Hong Kong infesting “ Penaeus monodon ” (= Penaeus semisulcatus , see Holthuis 1949). Nierstrasz et al. (1932) later described the male from the same host, now correctly identified as P. semisulcatus , also from Hong Kong. Bourdon (1979b) synonymized this species with E. ingens due to unspecified minor differences. However, the female’ s terminal pleomere with its peculiar flattened, non-incised margin, and the thin frontal lamina of E. grande contrast with the female’ s incised terminal pleomere and much wider frontal lamina of E. ingens . In addition, the lateral plates of E. ingens entirely cover the pleopods and cannot be seen in dorsal view, but the pleopods of E. grande on the shorter side of the body can be seen in dorsal view. We therefore consider E. grande as a species distinct from E. ingens . Both species overlap geographically but E. grande is much more widely distributed

Figures

Figure 1. Epipenaeon ingens Nobili, 1906, reference female (CIEPE541104) (A–I), reference male (CIEPE541104) (J-L). (A) Dorsal view; (B) Ventral view; (C) Right antennule and antenna; (D) Right maxilliped, external view; (E) Right side of barbula; (F) Right oostegite1, external view; (G) Right oostegite 1, internal view; (H) Right pereopod 1; (I) Left pereopod 7; (J) Dorsal view; (K) Ventral view; (L) Left antenna and antennule; Scale: 1mm for A, B; 0.08 mm for C, L; 0.33 mm for D; 0.27 mm for E, J, K; 0.60 mm for F, G; 0.21 mm for H, I.