Parelasmopus suensis ( Haswell, 1879b )

Lowry, J. K. & Hughes, L. E., 2009, Maeridae, the Elasmopus group *, Zootaxa 2260 (1), pp. 643-702 : 695-698

Parelasmopus suensis ( Haswell, 1879b)

( Figs 29 , 30 , Pl. 4G)

Megamoera suensis Haswell, 1879b: 335 , pl. 21, fig. 5. — Miers, 1884: 3, 17–3 18. — Springthorpe & Lowry, 1994: 32

(catalogue). Megamoera haswelli Miers, 1884: 318 [text name]. Parelasmopus suluensis . — Stebbing, 1888: 1029, pl. 100. — Stebbing, 1906: 417 (in part). Elasmopus suensis . — Stebbing, 1906: 442. Parelasmopus suensis . —J.L. Barnard, 1974: 143. — Berents, 1983: 138, figs 28, 29. — Lowry & Stoddart, 2003: 186

(catalogue). Not Megamoera suensis . — Haswell, 1885: 103, pl. 15: figs 1–4 [= Lingumaera hamigera ( Haswell, 1879b) fide

Stebbing, 1906, but see Stebbing, 1910: 600].

Material examined. 1 unsexed, AM P78066(76 LIZ B 12.21.2) ; 1 unsexed, AM P70570 ( QLD 1621 ); 3 unsexed, AM P70597 ( QLD 1622 ); 1 unsexed, AM P71499 ( QLD 1823 ); 1 unsexed, AM P70646 ( QLD 1634 ); 1 unsexed, AM P70820 ( QLD 1670 ); 1 male , 10.0 mm, 4 slides, AM P78065 ( QLD 1698 ); 1 female , 10.0 mm, 3 slides, AM P70939 ( QLD 1698 ); 8 unsexed, AM P71146 ( QLD 1707 ); 1 male , 4 slides, AM P78343 ( QLD 1710 ); 1 unsexed, AM P71055 ( QLD 1717 ); 2 unsexed, AM P71101 ( QLD 1718 ); 2 unsexed, AM P71387 ( QLD 1827 ); 1 unsexed, AM P71555 ( QLD 1828 ); 1 unsexed, AM P71473 ( QLD 1830 ); 1 unsexed, AM P71447 ( QLD 1833 ); 10 unsexed, AM P78300 (NT102) ; 2 unsexed, AM P78303 (NT344) ; 2 unsexed, NTM Cr011658 ( MAGNT 9 ); 1 male specimen dissected, 4 slides, NTM Cr016751 ( MAGNT 9 ); 1 unsexed, NTM Cr015627 ( MAGNT 17 ); 1 unsexed, NTM Cr011701 ( MAGNT 34 ) .

Type locality. Sue Point , Sue Island (Warraber), Torres Strait, Queensland, Australia (~1013'0'' S 14249 '0''E) .

Description. Based on male, 10.0 mm, AM P78065.

Head. Head eyes ovate; lateral cephalic lobe broad, truncated, anteroventral margin with notch/ slit, anteroventral corner rounded. Antenna 1 longer than antenna 2; peduncular article 1 subequal in length to article 2, with 2 robust setae along posterior margin; article 2 longer than article 3; accessory flagellum short, with 4 articles; flagellum with 22+ articles. Antenna 2 peduncular article 4 longer than article 5; flagellum with 9 articles. Mandible incisor a smooth cutting edge with 2 apicomedial cusps; accessory setal row with 3 setae; palp reduced, 3-articulate; article 1 at least 3 x as long as broad, longer than article 2, inner margin curved, slightly swollen distally; article 2 shorter than article 3; article 3 long (more than 3 x as long as broad), rectolinear, subequal to article 1.

Pereon. Gnathopod 1 coxa anteroventral corner produced, acute, anterior margin concave; merus without posterodistal tooth; carpus about 2 x as long as broad, subequal in length to propodus (length 1 x propodus), setae in anterodistal bunches and along posterior margin; propodus palm acute, straight, entire, defined by posterodistal corner, with posterodistal robust setae. Gnathopod 2 coxa posteroventral corner notch absent; basis slender; merus acutely produced distoventrally; carpus compressed, projecting between merus and propodus, length 0.75 x breadth; propodus expanded, with slender setae along posterior margin, palm acute, slightly convex, sculptured, palm about half length of propodus, without distomedial shelf, with group of 4 robust setae on shelf, with midmedial excavation, palmar margin with 2 sparse robust setae, without teeth along margin, subpalmar surface smooth, defined by posteroventral corner, without posterodistal robust setae; dactylus reaching end of palm, closing across margin of palm, without setae on anterior margin, with slight posteroproximal shelf, apically subacute. Pereopod 4 coxa posteroventral lobe slightly developed, with rounded posteromedial corner. Pereopod 5 basis slightly expanded, posterior margin slightly convex, without long slender setae, posteroventral corner with acute or subacute process; merus and carpus not broadened, carpus and propodus, with few long, slender setae along anterior margin. Pereopod 6 basis posterior margin slightly convex, without long slender setae, posteroventral corner narrowly rounded; merus and carpus not broadened, carpus and propodus, with many long, slender setae along margins; propodus not expanded posterodistally. Pereopod 7 basis posterior margin straight, serrate, without long slender setae, produced posterodistally (slightly lobate), posteroventral corner narrowly rounded; merus and carpus not broadened; propodus not expanded posterodistally. Pereonite 7 with pair of dorsal spines.

Pleon. Pleonites 1–2 each with pair of dorsal spines. Pleonite 3 dorsally bicarinate. Epimeron 1 posteroventral corner with small acute or subacute spine. Epimeron 2 posteroventral corner strongly produced, acute. Epimeron 3 posteroventral margin serrate below posteroventral corner, posteroventral corner with strongly produced acute spine. Urosomite 1 bicarinate, subtriangular. Urosomites 2–3 dorsally smooth, without setae, spines or carinae. Uropod 1 peduncle with basofacial robust seta. Uropod 3 rami distally truncated, apical robust setae long; inner ramus subequal in length to outer ramus; inner ramus long (length 2 to 2.5 x breadth); outer ramus long (length 3 x breadth), longer than peduncle, 1-articulate. Telson deeply cleft (more than 66%), slightly broader than long, tapering distally, apical margins concave, outer apical conical extension reaching scarcely one third along longest seta, without dorsal robust setae, each lobe with 3 long and short apical robust setae, without robust setae on inner and outer margins.

Habitat. Marine, epibenthic, among reef rock and coral rubble.

Remarks. When J.L. Barnard (1972a) described Parelasmopus ya, P.suensis was poorly known. Berents (1983) redescribed P. suensis based on original types and we redescribe it here, based on new material. These two species are very similar. Differences include the anteroventral corner of the gnathopod 1 coxa which is acute in P. suensis and rounded in P. ya; pereopod 7 in P. ya, in which the basis is broader with a convex posterior margin and the distal articles have more long slender setae; and pleonite 3 which is dorsally smooth in P. ya and bicarinate in P.suensis .

The main difference between P. cymatilis and P. suensis is the shape of the male gnathopod 2 palm which has a weakly subacute palm and a series of small ‘cogs’ on the palmar corner in P. cymatilis (not present in P. suensis ).

Distribution. Australia. Northern Territory: Darwin (current study). Queensland: Sue Island, Torres Strait ( Haswell 1879b; Stebbing 1888); Lizard Island ( Berents 1983; current study).

Figures

FIGURE 29. Parelasmopus suensis (Haswell, 1879b), male, 10.0 mm, AM P78039, Lizard Island, Great Barrier Reef.

FIGURE 30. Parelasmopus suensis (Haswell, 1879b), male, 10.0 mm, AM P70939, Lizard Island, Great Barrier Reef.