Bopyrella articulata, An & Boyko & Li, 2015

An, Jianmei, Boyko, Christopher B. & Li, Xinzheng, 2015, A Review Of Bopyrids (Crustacea: Isopoda: Bopyridae) Parasitic On Caridean Shrimps (Crustacea: Decapoda: Caridea) From China, Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 2015 (399), pp. 1-85 : 32-34

Bopyrella articulata , n. sp.

Figure 7

Bopyrella glabra An, 2006: 72–73 , fig. 31 (unavailable name).

MATERIAL EXAMINED: Infesting Alpheus hoplocheles Coutière, 1897 . Holotype ♀ ( CIEAL 570603), allotype ♂ ( CIEAL 570604), Dazhou Island, Hainan Province, 111 ° 20′E, 18 ° 40′N, 11 June 1957. Paratypes: 1 ♀ ( CIEAL 570605), 1 ♂ ( CIEAL 570606), Dazhou Island, Hainan Province, 111 ° 20′E, 18 ° 40′N, 11 June 1957.

DESCRIPTION: Holotype female (CIEAL57 0603): Length 11.24 mm, maximal width 7.06 mm, head length 2.57 mm, head width 2.8 mm, dextral 29 ° (fig. 7A, B).

Head subquadrate, fused with pereomere 1 medially, but lateral boundary visible. Frontal lamina lacking, small eyes in lateral corners (fig. 7A). Antennule of three articles, basal article much larger than second article, terminal article with setae. Antenna of four articles, nonsetose (fig. 7C). Maxilliped with large three-segmented palp (fig. 7D), palp and adjacent margin with setae (fig. 7E). Barbula with two pairs of falcate lateral projections on each side (fig. 7F).

Pereon segments distinct, broadest across third pereomere (fig. 7A). First four pereomeres with coxal plates and dorsolateral bosses slightly larger on longer side (fig. 7A). Brood pouch completely open, oostegite 1 visible in ventral view (fig. 7B). Oostegite 1 (fig. 7G, H) with irregular anterior margin, internal ridge bearing many small projections, posterolateral point blunt laterally, curved on posterior edge. Pereopods subequal in size and structure (fig. 7H), dactyli blunt. Pleon lateral margin completely fused, but four obscure segments radiate around median of fused pleon. Pleon with five flaplike biramous pleopods, endopodite of pleopod 1 much longer than others (fig. 7B); uropods lacking (fig. 7B).

DESCRIPTION: Allotype male (CIEAL570 604): Length 3.25 mm, maximal width (across pleon 1) 1.49 mm, head width 0.75 mm, head length 0.42 mm. All pereon segments distinct, pleon fused medially (fig. 7I, J). Head ovate with curved posterior edge (fig. 7I). Eyes mediolateral (fig. 7I). Antennae and antennules of three articles each, not visibly setose (fig. 7K). Pereomeres almost equal in width, each with small midventral projection (fig. 7J). All pereopods with six articles, dactyli of first three pereopods much larger than others (fig. 7J, L). Pleon of six segments, dorsomedian region weakly fused, but distinct in ventral view. Pleomere 1 widest, with midventral tubercle; pleopods and uropods lacking (fig. 7J).

VARIATION: Paratype female (CIEAL 570605) immature, total length 7.14 mm, widest pereomere 4.68 mm, almost symmetrical. Paratype male (CIEAL570606) mature, similar to allotype.

ETYMOLOGY: The specific name, articulata , refers to the maxilliped of the female with its three-segmented palp.

HOST AND LOCALITY: Infesting Alpheus hoplocheles Coutière, 1897 (Alpheidae) , Hainan Province, China.

REMARKS: Bopyrella articulata has the female head fused with the first pereomere, a triarticulated maxilliped palp, a fused pleon, and four pairs of biramous pleopods. The first pleomere of the male is much wider than the other pereomeres and pleomeres. The new species is most related to B. thomsoni , which has both a similar (complete) fusion of the female pleomeres as well as a similar male pleon shape, but (1) the maxilliped of the new species has a triarticulated palp ( B. thomsoni female with nonarticulated palp) and (2) male of B. articulata with midventral tubercles on all pereomeres and pleomere 1 (lacking in B. thomsoni ). The new species and B. thomsoni are distinguished from the other five species of Bopyrella by having the pleon completely fused, without any lateral indentations indicating segmentation on either side.

Figures

Fig. 7. Bopyrella articulata n. sp., holotype female (CIEAL570603) (A–H): A. Dorsal view. B. Ventral view. C. Left antenna and antennule. D. Left maxilliped, external view. E. Palp of maxilliped. F. Left side of barbula. G. Left oostegite 1, external view. H. Left oostegite 1, internal view. Allotype male (CIEAL570604) (I–L): I. Dorsal view. J. Ventral view. K. Right antenna and antennule. L. Left pereopod 4. Scale: 2 mm (A, B); 1 mm (G, H); 0.5 mm (D–F, I, J); 0.25 mm (C, K, L).