Aciconula australiensis Guerra-García, 2004a

Guerra-García, José M. & Lowry, J. K., 2009, Caprellidae *, Zootaxa 2260 (1), pp. 290-327 : 291-292

Aciconula australiensis Guerra-García, 2004a

( Fig. 1 )

Aciconula australiensis Guerra-García, 2004a: 23 , figs 19–23. —Guerra-García, 2006: 441, fig. 40.

Type locality. Legendre Island , Dampier Archipelago, Western Australia, Australia (20°21.401’S 116°49.779’E), coral substrate plus encrusting bivalve molluscs, 12 m depth .

Material examined. Holotype male, 2.1 mm, AM P62148 (WA 640); paratype female, AM P62149 (WA 640); male, AM P61735 ( QLD 1475 ); 1 female, 1 juvenile, AM P61736 ( QLD 1567 ).

Description. Based on male, AM P61735 and female, AM P62149.

Head and pereonites slender. Head/pereonite 1 fused (suture present); dorsal margin convex; eye large, distinctive. Antenna 1 well developed; slender, 0.33 x body length; peduncle article 2 longest, article 3 straight; accessory flagellum absent; flagellum 0.75 x peduncular length, with more than 2 articles. Antenna 2 0.5 x antenna 1 length or 0.6 x antenna 1 length, slender; peduncle with several feeble setae; flagellum about 1/4 (0.25 x) of peduncular length, with 2 articles. Labrum notched, forming shallow quadrilateral projections. Mandible right incisor with 6 teeth, right lacinia mobilis transformed into a plate serrated distally, accessory setal row with 2 setae; molar reduced; left incisor with 5 teeth, lacinia mobilis with 7 teeth, without trapezoid plate and setal row with 3 setae; palp 3–articulate. Maxilla 1 outer plate with 6 stout apical setal-teeth. Maxilliped inner plate smaller than outer plate, oval; outer plate 2.5 x length of inner plate; palp article 2 scarcely setose on inner margin; palp article 4 enlarged, weakly falcate.

Pereon. Pereonites 2 to 7 not fused; pereonites 3 and 4 longest, subequal in length. Pereonite 1 with single anterodorsal projection (variously developed). Gnathopod 1 distinctly smaller than gnathopod 2; propodus subtriangular, palm begins 1/4 along posterior margin, smooth, without large, rounded knob proximally; dactylus slightly curved, inner margin smooth. Pereonite 2 with single mid-dorsal projection, with slight middorsal hump. Gnathopod 2 situated toward anterior end of pereonite 2; basis subequal in length to pereonite 2, without anterodistal projection; ischium without anterodistal projection; propodus subovate, large, anterodistal margin widely concave, without anterodistal triangular projection, without projections along midanterior margin; palm without proximal cavity filled with membranous sack, palm proximal projection with 1 robust (grasping) seta, margin slightly convex, smooth, without hook-like projection at base of dactylus, without distal shelf, with deep, wide sinus, with large midpalmar projection. Pereonite 3 without projections. Pereopod 3 reduced, with 2 articles. Pereonite 4 without projections. Pereopod 4 with 2 articles. Pereopod 5 well developed, with 6 articles, slender. Pereopods 6 and 7 weakly prehensile. Pereopod 6 basis and propodus subequal in length.

Gills on pereonites 3 and 4. Pereonite 3 gill straight, ovate. Pereonite 4 gill length about 1/5 of corresponding pereonite, straight, ovate.

Pleon. Some uropods present (pair of 'lateral lobes').

Female (sexually dimorphic characters). Body length 1.9 mm. Head without anterodorsal projections. Gnathopod 2 propodus anterodistal margin slightly convex; palm without sinus, with tiny midpalmar projection. Pereopod 3 with 4 articles. Pereonite 3 gill length about 1/4 of corresponding pereonite. Pereonite 4 gill length about 1/3 of corresponding pereonite.

Habitat. Clinging to small hydroids or algal turf on dead corals.

Remarks. Aciconula australiensis was recently described from Western Australia ( Guerra-García 2004a). This species is uncommon on the Great Barrier Reef. Only three specimens were collected from Lizard Island.

Distribution. Australia. Queensland: Coconut Beach and ‘Washing Machine Reef’, Lizard Island, Great

Barrier Reef ( Guerra-García 2004a, 2006). Western Australia: Dampier Archipelago ( Guerra-García 2004a).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Aciconula australiensis Guerra-García, 2004a. A: paratype, male, AM P61735, B: female, AM P62149, Coconut Beach, Great Barrier Reef,. Refigured from Guerra-García (2004a).