Grandidierella rhizophorae, Myers, 2009

Myers, Alan A., 2009, Aoridae *, Zootaxa 2260 (1), pp. 220-278 : 274-276

Grandidierella rhizophorae sp. nov.

( Figs 41 , 42 , Pl. 2D)

Type Material. Holotype, male, 3.5 mm, AM P70562, Mangrove Beach , Lizard Island (14°40.78’S 145°27.76’E), mangrove detritus, Rhizophora stylosa in lagoon, 0.5 m, T. Krapp-Schickel, 23 February 2005 (QLD 1624) . Paratypes. 5 females, AM P70583 (QLD 1629) ; 1 male, 1 female, AM P70584 (QLD 1631) .

Type Locality. Mangrove Beach , Lizard Island, Queensland, Australia (14°40.78’S 145°27.76’E) .

Etymology. Named after the mangrove Rhizophora , in which the type material was collected.

Description. Based on holotype, male 3.5 mm, AM P70562.

Head. Head lateral cephalic lobes apically truncated. Antenna 1 flagellum with about 15 articles; accessory flagellum absent or vestigial. Antenna 2 with few long setae. Lower lip with fine setae only. Maxilla 1 inner plate without setae. Mandible, palp article 3 longer than 2, posterior margin substraight, with distal setae.

Pereon. Pereonites without sternal spines. Gnathopod 1 enlarged in males only; coxa anterodistally rounded; basis robust, half or more as broad as long, with few or no setae present along margin, with setae sparse or absent, anterodistal margin with flange weak or absent; ischium anterior margin without flange; merus not greatly elongated, fused along its entire length with carpus, posterior margin with sparse setae or setae absent, without posterodistal spine; carpus one and one third to one and one half length of propodus, with setae sparse or absent, with one spine; propodus anterior margin moderately clothed in short setae, palm evenly continuous with posterior margin, margin entire, palm corner undefined; dactylus more than half length of propodus, significantly overlapping palm. Gnathopod 2 basis anterior margin sub-straight, weakly setiferous, anterodistal margin without spine, posterodistal margin without robust setae; carpus longer than propodus, with long or short moderately spaced setae; propodus with long sparse setae. Pereopod 3 basis anterior margin unexpanded, straight or weakly concave. Pereopod 7 significantly less than 125% length of pereopod 6.

Pleon. Epimeron 3 posterodistal margin rounded. Uropod 1 distoventral spine shorter than peduncle. Uropod 2 peduncle without distoventral spine or with vestigial spine. Uropod 3 uniramous, inner ramus at least twice length of peduncle.

Female (sexually dimorphic characters). Based on paratype, female 4.5 mm, AM P70583. Gnathopod 1 basis slender, much less than half as broad as long; carpus subequal in length with propodus; palm defined by strong posterodistal spine .

Habitat. Mangrove litter.

Remarks. Differs from G. bonnieroides by lacking a submarginal spine on the posterior margin of the carpus of the male gnathopod 1.

Distribution. Australia. Queensland: Mangrove Beach, Lizard Island (current study).

Figures

FIGURE 41. Grandidierella rhizophorae sp. nov., holotype, male, 3.5 mm, AM P70562, Mangrove Beach, Lizard Island, Great Barrier Reef.

FIGURE 42. Grandidierella rhizophorae sp. nov., holotype, male, 3.5 mm, AM P70562, female, 4.5 mm, AM P70583, Mangrove Beach, Lizard Island, Great Barrier Reef.