Paracaprella sp.

Guerra-García, José M. & Lowry, J. K., 2009, Caprellidae *, Zootaxa 2260 (1), pp. 290-327 : 305-307

Paracaprella sp.

( Fig. 8 )

Paracaprella sp. Guerra-García, 2006: 448, fig. 52.

Material examined. 1 premature female, ~ 2.5 mm, AM P61633 ( QLD 659 ) ; 2 premature females, AM P61634 ( QLD 658 ) ; 1 female, AM P61646 ( QLD 921 ) .

Description. Based on female, ~ 2.3 mm, AM P61633.

Head. Head/pereonite 1 fused (suture present). Eyes large, slightly distinctive. Antenna 1 between 0.3 – 0.5 body length; peduncle article 2 longest; primary flagellum subequal in length to 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 palp 1– articulate or vestigial; molar well developed.

Pereon. Gnathopod 1 propodus subtriangular, palm begins less than 0.25 along posterior margin of propodus or begins 0.25 along posterior margin of propodus. Pereonite 2 without anterolateral projection, without midlateral projection, without anterodorsal projection, without mid-dorsal projections, without paired midventral projections, without ventral projection between insertion of gnathopods. Gnathopod 2 situated toward anterior end of pereonite 2; basis subequal in length to pereonite 2, without anterodistal projection; propodus large, propodus elongate (subrectangular), propodus anterodistal margin slightly convex or straight, propodus without projections along mid-anterior margin; propodus palm smooth, propodus palm convex (?), without midpalmar projection, without sinus. Pereonite 3 without anterolateral projection, without mid-dorsal projections, without paired mid-ventral projections. Pereopod 3 reduced or vestigial, pereopod 3 with 2 articles. Pereonite 4 without anterolateral projection, without mid-dorsal projections, without mid-ventral spines, without posterodorsal projection. Pereopod 4 reduced or vestigial, with 2 articles. Pereonite 5 without anterolateral projection, without dorsal projections, without posterodorsal projection. Pereopod 5 well developed, slender, with 6 articles. Pereopods 6 and 7 prehensile. Pereopod 6 basis shorter than propodus. Pereopod 7 merus shorter than basis.

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.

Pleon. Pleopods absent or vestigial.

Remarks. Guerra-García (2006) did not give this taxon a name because no males were known. No new material has been discovered since. Paracaprella sp. can be distinguished from other species on the GBR by the combination of the following characters: antenna 2 flagellum 2–articulate, mandibular palp reduced, molar present, gills on pereonites 3 and 4, pereopods 3 and 4, 2–articulate and pereopods 5–7, 6–articulate.

Distribution. Northern Great Barrier Reef (Guerra-García 2006).

Figures

FIGURE 8. Paracaprella sp. Premature female, ~2.5 mm, AM P61633, GBRMPA Reef 11-131, Great Barrier Reef. Refigured from Guerra-García (2006).