Glorandaniotes sandroi, Jørgen Berge, 2003

Jørgen Berge, 2003, Stegocephalidae (Crustacea: Amphipoda) from Australia and New Zealand, With Descriptions of Eight New Species, Records of the Australian Museum 55, pp. 85-112 : 94-96

Glorandaniotes sandroi n.sp.

Figs. 6, 7

Type material. HOLOTYPE: MV J40630 , ♀ 5 mm: 38°52.6'S 148°25.2'E, 130 m (fine sand), 100 km NE of North Point, Flinders Island , Eastern Bass Strait , Tasmania, Australia, 15 Nov. 1981. Collector: R. Wilson . PARATYPES: MV J40629 , 13 and 6♀♀: 38°52.6'S 148°25.2'E, 130 m (fine sand), 100 km NE of North Point, Flinders Island , Eastern Bass Strait, Tasmania, Australia, 15 Nov. 1981. Collector : R. Wilson .

Distribution. Known only from the type locality.

Diagnosis. Pleonites dorsally smooth. Antenna 1 flagellum with 4 articles. Antenna 2 peduncle article 4 slightly longer than article 5. Epistome produced laterally, epistomal plate present. Labrum shorter than broad, both lobes reduced. Mandibular incisor smooth, transverse. Lacinia mobilis reduced, not expanded laterally. Maxilla 1 outer plate with ST in two parallel rows, palp uni-articulate. Maxilla 2 outer plate not gaping and geniculate. Coxa 4 distally broad. Pereopod 6 basis expanded. Uropod 3 outer ramus 2- articulate. Articulation between urosomites 2 and 3 present. Telson about as long as broad, rounded, cleft.

Description. Rostrum reduced, inconspicuous. Antenna 1 shorter than antenna 2; accessory flagellum article 2 present. Antenna 2 peduncle articles 3–5 longer than flagellum; article 3 short, about as long as broad. Epistome rectangular, with a long ridge on each side; epistomal plate produced into a small elongate medial ridge covering the entire epistome (similar to G. traudlae , see Fig. 8). Maxilla 1 palp reaching above the apex of outer plate; outer plate distally rounded; ST first row with 6 setae (ST1–5, ST7); ST 6 absent; gap between ST 5 and ST 7 present; ST A–C present, part of second row; inner plate with pappose setae. Maxilla 2 ordinary; outer plate setae distally simple; inner plate setae row A covering the entire margin, clearly separated from row B; row A setae pappose; row B setae proximally pappose; distally with cusps present; row C present; row D absent. Maxilliped palp 4-articulate; article 2 distally unproduced; dactylus distally simple, pointed; inner plate not exceeding base of palp article 2; 2 nodular setae; medial setae-row transverse with pectinate setae; distal setae-row present; inner setae-row not reduced; outer plate with outer setae-row marginal with long robust setae; inner setae-row reduced, setae short and simple, parallel but not appressed to outer setae-row; distal setae-group absent. Labium distally broad, oval. Coxae and bases on the pereopods smooth. Coxae 1–3 contiguous. Pereopod 1 coxa deeper than basis; propodus distally narrowing. Pereopod 2 general appearance like pereopod 1; ischium not elongate, distal posterior margin with plumose setae; propodus subrectangular but distally narrowing, palm absent. Pereopod 4 basis posterior margin with long setae present, plumose setae on distal anterior and posterior margins; ischium with plumose setae on distal posterior margin. Pereopod 6 basis more than twice as broad as basis on pereopod 5, medially with a row of long plumose setae. Pereopod 7 basis anterior margin straight, distally rounded; medial row of setae present, setae short and robust. Oostegites on pereopod 2–5, gills on pereopods 2–7. Uropods: Uropod 1 peduncle longer than rami; outer ramus longer than inner. Uropod 2 peduncle longer than rami; outer ramus longer than inner. Uropod 3 peduncle at least as long as rami; outer ramus longer than inner. Telson shorter than peduncle uropod 3; submarginal setae on apex of each lobe present. Male. Pereopod 2 propodus equally sized in males and females, urosome ordinary (similar to females).

Etymology. Named after Prof Sandro Ruffo (Verona), grand old man of amphipod research.

Remarks. The general morphology of Glorandaniotes sandroi is very similar to that of G. traudlae (habitus only figured for the latter, see below). The two species are separated mainly on the absence of an articulation between urosomites 2 and 3 in G. traudlae , the long peduncle article 4 on the second antenna in G. sandroi , and the different setation on pereopod 4. Furthermore, the males of G. sandroi do not possess an enlarged propodus on pereopod 2, as in G. traudlae .

Both new species described herein are separated from the type species by their small and inconspicuous epistomal plate.