Bemlos aequimanus ( Schellenberg, 1938 )

Myers, Alan A., 2009, Aoridae *, Zootaxa 2260 (1), pp. 220-278 : 229-231

Bemlos aequimanus ( Schellenberg, 1938)

( Figs 7 , 8 )

Bemlos aequimanus ( Schellenberg, 1938) .

Lembos aequimanus Schellenberg, 1938 b: 76 , fig. 39. —J.L. Barnard, 1965: 527, fig. 26. —J.L. Barnard, 1970: 72, fig. 36a–e. — Ledoyer, 1984: 31, fig. 14. — Myers, 1985b: 385, figs 246–248.

Bemlos aequimanus . — Myers, 1988a: 188. — Myers, 1988b: 282. — Lowry & Stoddart, 2003: 67 (catalogue).

Material examined. 1 male, AM P77556 (JDT/LIZ 14); 1 unsexed, AM P75587 (QLD 1897); 1 unsexed, AM P75588 (QLD 1914); 2 unsexed, AM P75586 (QLD 1979) .

Type locality. Apamama Atoll , Kiribati (as Gilbert Islands) (~ 0°24'0''N 173°52'0''E) .

Description. Based on male, 7.0 mm, AM P77556.

Head. Head lateral cephalic lobes apically truncate. Antenna 1 flagellum with 21 or more articles; accessory flagellum multiarticulate. Antenna 2 with few long setae. Lower lip with fine setae only. Maxilla 1 inner plate with 1 long pectinate apical seta. Mandible palp article 3 longer than 2, posterior margin straight with setae of two distinct lengths, long setae and an under-story of much shorter regularly spaced setae.

Pereon. Pereonites 2–3 with weak, apically rounded sternal spines. Gnathopod 1 enlarged in males only; coxa anterodistally rounded; basis slender, much less than half as broad as long, with few or no setae present along margin, 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 third or less length of propodus, with setae sparse or absent, carpus without spines; propodus anterior margin moderately clothed in short setae, palm delimited from posterior margin, margin forming a broad excavate sinus, defined by strong posterodistal spine; dactylus more than half length of propodus, significantly overlapping palm. Gnathopod 2 subchelate; basis anterior margin basis anterodistal margin with weak flange, weakly setiferous; carpus subequal with propodus, with short sparse setae; propodus with short dense 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 produced into a small spine. Uropod 1 distoventral spine one third length of peduncle. Uropod 2 peduncle with distoventral spine one half length of peduncle. Uropod 3 biramous, outer ramus a little shorter than inner ramus, inner ramus at least twice length of peduncle. Telson with fine setae only.

Female (sexually dimorphic characters). Not collected in the current survey.

Habitat. Among algae and phanerogammes in shallow water.

Remarks. The large size of this species is exceptional for this genus. Worldwide, only the closely related B. teleporus K.H. Barnard, 1955 from the western Indian Ocean is comparable in size. Together with size, the shape of the male gnathopod 1 distinguishes this species from all other Great Barrier Reef species of Bemlos .

Distribution. Australia. Queensland: south of Lizard Head Peninsula, Lizard Island (current study); Dingo Beach near Bowen Island ( Myers 1988b). New South Wales: Twofold Bay ( Myers 1988b; Hutchings, et al. 1989). Victoria: Crib Point ( Myers 1988b). South Australia: Stokes Bay, Kangaroo Island ( Myers 1988b). Fiji. Viti Levu ( Schellenberg 1938; Myers 1985). Kiribati. Apamama Atoll ( Schellenberg 1938). New Caledonia. l'îlot Maître ( Ledoyer 1984). USA. Hawaii: Kawela Bay, Oahu (J.L. Barnard 1970).

Figures

FIGURE 7. Bemlos aequimanus (Schellenberg, 1938), male, 7.0 mm, AM P77556, south of Lizard Head, Lizard Island, Great Barrier Reef.

FIGURE 8. Bemlos aequimanus (Schellenberg, 1938), male, 7.0 mm, AM P77556, south of Lizard Head, Lizard Island, Great Barrier Reef.