Pseudaeginella cf. biscaynensis ( McCain, 1968 )

Guerra-García, José M. & Lowry, J. K., 2009, Caprellidae *, Zootaxa 2260 (1), pp. 290-327 : 309-311

Pseudaeginella cf. biscaynensis ( McCain, 1968)

( Fig. 10 )

Pseudaeginella biscaynensis . — Guerra-García, 2004a: 107, fig. 12. —? Guerra-García, 2004a: 54, fig. 43. —Guerra- García, 2006: 448, fig. 54.

Material examined. 1 male, AM P61620 ( QLD 680 ) ; 1 male, AM P61621 ( QLD 734 ) ; 1 female, AM P61623 ( QLD 759 ) ; 2 males, AM P61622 ( QLD 760 ) ; 1 male, AM P61689 ( BK 114 ) ; 1 premature female, AM P61688 ( BK 126 ) ; 1 premature female, AM P61690 ( QLD 1476 ) .

Description. Based on male, AM P61689 (BK 114).

Head. Head/pereonite 1 fused (suture absent), head without rostrum. Eyes large, distinctive or small, not distinctive. Antenna 1 between 0.3 –0.5 body length; peduncle article 2 longest; primary flagellum subequal in length to peduncle or longer than peduncle, flagellum with more than 2 articles; flagellum proximal article composed of 2 fused articles. Antenna 2 without dense concentration of long slender setae along posterior margin; flagellum with 2 articles. Mandible right incisor with 5 teeth; accessory setal row with 2 –5 setae; palp 3–articulate; molar absent. Mandible left incisor with 5 teeth; with 3 trapezoid plates decreasing in size; accessory setal row with 2–5 setae. Maxilla 1 outer plate with 6 stout apical setal-teeth. Maxilliped inner plate smaller than outer plate; inner margin smooth; palp article 2 scarcely setose on inner margin, palp article 3 without distal projection, palp article 3 with few distal setae (1–5), palp article 4 enlarged.

Pereon. Gnathopod 1 propodus triangular or subtriangular, palm begins about 0.33 along posterior margin of propodus, with 2 robust setae near corner of palm; dactylus slightly curved. Pereonite 2 without anterolateral projection, without anterodorsal projection, with single tiny mid-dorsal projection, without paired midventral projections, without ventral projection between insertion of gnathopods, with slight posterodorsal projection. Gnathopod 2 situated toward anterior end of pereonite 2, or situated near middle of pereonite 2; basis subequal in length to pereonite 2, without anterodistal projection; propodus massive, propodus subovate, propodus anterodistal margin straight (more or less); palm proximal projection with 1 robust (grasping) seta, propodus palm smooth, propodus palm straight or irregular, with large midpalmar projection, with deep, narrow sinus, propodus palm with broad, well developed distal shelf. Pereonite 3 without anterolateral projection, with single mid-dorsal projection (slight), without paired mid-ventral projections, pereonite 3 without posterodorsal projection. Pereopod 3 reduced or vestigial, with 1 article. Pereonite 4 without anterolateral projection, without mid-dorsal projections, without mid-ventral spines, without posterodorsal projection. Pereopod 4 reduced, with 1 article. Pereonite 5 without anterolateral projection, without dorsal projections, without posterodorsal projection. Pereopod 5 well developed, slender. Pereopods 6 and 7 weakly prehensile.

Gills on pereonites 3 and 4; pereonite 3 gill ovate, pereonite 3 gill length between 0.25 –0.5 x corresponding pereonite; pereonite 4 gill ovate, pereonite 4 gill length between 0.25 –05 x corresponding pereonite or length between 0.6 –0.8 x corresponding pereonite.

Pleon. Pleopods absent or vestigial. Telson (dorsal lobe) present.

Habitat. Purple sponge, calcareous red tubular algae, Halimeda , 2–30 m depth. The species has been found in shallow waters living on red algae ( McCain 1968; Guerra-García 2004a), the green algae Avrainvillea sp. and the seagrass Thalassia sp. ( Gable & Lazo-Wasem 1987), among corals, through Cymodocea sp. and Syringodium sp. ( Guerra-García 2002a).

Remarks. Pseudaeginella cf. biscaynensis differs from P. biscaynensis by differences in body projections and pereopod 5. Specimens of P. cf. biscaynensis have a more robust pereopod 5 and are considerably less spinose than those of P. biscaynensis . Pseudaeginella biscaynensis , known from the Florida coast and vicinity, has also been recently recorded in the Indian Ocean ( Guerra-García, 2002a). It remains that P. biscaynensis may prove to be a species complex. Further study of this species is required.

Distribution. Australia. Queensland: Ashmore Reef and Boot Reef, Coral Sea; Coconut Beach, Bird Islet and North Point, all Lizard Island (Guerra-García 2006). Coral Sea Island Territory: Elizabeth and Middleton Reefs (Guerra-García 2006).

Figures

FIGURE 10. Pseudaeginella cf. biscaynensis (McCain, 1968). A, Male, ~2.3 mm, AM P61689 North Point, Lizard Island; B, female, ~1.75 mm, AM P61690, Coconut Beach, Lizard Island, Great Barrier Reef. Refigured from Guerra- García (2006).