Stegocephaloides tori, 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 : 106-108

Stegocephaloides tori n.sp.

Figs. 16–18

Type material. HOLOTYPE: MV J24054 , ♀ 4 mm, 38°25.90'S 148°58.60'E, 1850 m, south of Point Hicks , Victoria, Australia, 22 Jul. 86. Collector: G.C.B. Poore and party.

Additional material. MV J24055 , ♀ 4 mm, 38°25.00'S 149°0.00'E, 1500 m, south of Point Hicks , Victoria, Australia, 22 Jul. 1986 ; MV J45336 , 3 3 mm, 38°52.6'S 148°25.2'E, 130 m, Eastern Bass Strait , Tasmania, Australia, 15 Nov. 1981 .

Distribution. Bass Strait, 130–1850 m.

Diagnosis (see also Table 3). Pleonites dorsally smooth. Antenna 1 flagellum with 5 articles. Antenna 2 peduncle article 4 longer than article 5. Epistome not produced laterally, epistomal plate present. Labrum longer than broad, left lobe reduced. Mandibular incisor toothed, lateral. Lacinia mobilis powerful, expanded laterally. Maxilla 1 outer plate with ST in a pseudocrown, palp uni-articulate. Maxilla 2 outer plate gaping and geniculate. Maxilliped palp dactylus simple and pointed. Pereopod 6 basis expanded. Uropod 3 outer ramus uni-articulate.Articulation between urosomites 2 and 3 absent. Telson longer than broad, pointed, cleft.

Description. Rostrum reduced, inconspicuous. Antenna 1 longer than antenna 2; accessory flagellum article 2 absent. Antenna 2 peduncle articles 3–5 shorter than flagellum; article 3 short, about as long as broad. Epistome curved (convex) and smooth; epistomal plate produced into a small elongate medial ridge covering the entire epistome. Maxilla 1 palp not reaching above the apex of outer plate; outer plate distally subrectangular; ST first row with 6 setae (ST1– 5, ST7); ST 6 absent; gap between ST 5 and ST 7 present; ST A present, located distally, part of first row; ST B present, part of second row; ST C present; inner plate with pappose setae. Maxilla 2 outer plate setae with distal hooks, setae without distal cleft; inner plate setae row A covering about two thirds of the margin, clearly separated from row B; row A setae pappose; row B setae proximally pappose, distally with cusps present; row C present; row D present, expanded, elongated towards and beyond row A, setae with many small cusps distally. Maxilliped palp 4-articulate; article 2 distal inner margin weakly produced; inner plate not exceeding base of palp article 2; 2 nodular setae; medial setae-row reduced and transverse, with pectinate setae; distal setaerow present; inner setae-row not reduced, setae not conspicuously large; outer plate with outer setae-row marginal with setae attached in a deep hollow, setae short and strongly curved upwards (hooks); inner setae-row reduced, setae short simple; distal setae-group present, setae short simple. Labium with a distal pointed projection. Coxae and bases on the pereopods smooth. Coxae 1–3 contiguous. Pereopod 1 coxa deeper than basis; propodus subovate. Pereopod 2 longer and thinner than pereopod 1; ischium elongate, ratio length to breadth exceeding 1.5, distal posterior margin with plumose setae; propodus subrectangular, palm absent. Pereopod 4 basis posterior margin with long setae, distal anterior and posterior margins with plumose setae; ischium with plumose setae on distal posterior margin. Pereopod 6 basis about 1.5 times as broad as pereopod 5 basis, 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 pereopods 2–5, gills on pereopods 2–7.

Uropods: Uropod 1 peduncle longer than rami; outer ramus weakly longer than inner. Uropod 2 peduncle longer than rami; outer ramus as long as inner. Uropod 3 peduncle longer than half the length of rami; outer ramus about as long as inner. Telson longer than peduncle uropod 3; submarginal setae on apex of each lobe present.

Male. Pereopod 2 propodus larger in males than in females; Urosome ordinary (similar to females).

Etymology. The present species is named after the first author’s father, Tor Berge.

Remarks. See remarks under Stegocephaloides gunnae .