Linguimaera kellissa, Krapp-Schickel, 2003

Krapp-Schickel, T., 2003, Linguimaera Pirlot, 1936 (Crustacea, Amphipoda, Melitidae), a valid genus, Memoirs of Museum Victoria 60 (2), pp. 257-283 : 266-272

Linguimaera kellissa sp. nov.

Figures 8 , 9

Material examined. Holotype. Australia. Victoria, eastern Bass Strait, 8 km S of South East Point, Wilsons Promontory (39˚12.9´S, 146˚27.3´E), 65 m, medium sand, R.S. Wilson on RV Tangaroa, 18 Nov 1981 (stn BSS 180), NMV J20370 (1 male 5 mm).

Paratype. Vic., eastern Bass Strait , 11.2 km E of eastern edge of Lake Tyers (37˚51.41´S, 148˚13.16´E), 32 m, sand-shell, Smith-McIntyre grab, Marine Science Laboratories, 25 Sep 1990 (stn MSL- EG 27), NMV J25482 (1 male 7 mm) .

Other material. Vic., eastern Bass Strait , 8 km S of South East Point, Wilsons Promontory (39˚12.9´S, 146˚27.3´E), 65 m, NMV J52344 (5 males, 8 females, 2 juv.); NMV J52343 (1 male). 13.3 km E of eastern edge of Lake Tyers (37˚51.74´S, 148˚14.77´E), 37 m, NMV J25491 (1 female). 15.5 km SW of Pt Ricardo (37˚53.14´S, 148˚28.94´E), 45 m, NMV J25478 (4) , NMV J25486 (1 male, 1 juv.), NMV J25485 (1 male, 1 female) .

Diagnosis. Gnathopod 1 propodus and carpus relatively robust, propodus length in male twice of width; gnathopod 2 male palm distally next to palmar corner regularly J-shaped excavated, in female distally narrowing, with serrated palm. Pereopods 3–5 length subequal. Pereopod 7 basis ratio length: breadth= 1.5, posterior margin rounded. Uropod 3 very long, slim, rami about twice length of peduncle, always having a “knee” between peduncle and rami. Telson with short distal robust setae, distal one about one third to half of telson length.

Description. Adult male, female 7–9 mm.

Body slim, slender, fragile. Eyes reniform, medially narrowed, lower part longer and wider.

Antenna 1 half length of body, article 1 slightly shorter than article 2, accessory flagellum of 5 articles; antenna 2 gland cone long; peduncle reaches end of antenna peduncle article 2; flagellum of 11 articles.

Mandible incisor and lacinia mobilis with strong blunt teeth, accessory robust setae smooth; molar huge and oblong; palp article 2: article 1= 3.75, article 2: article 3 = 1.8, article 2 with 9 single long setae (some plumose) without groups.

Gnathopod 1 coxa 1 anteriorly lengthened, rounded, basis ratio length: breadth= 2.8; merus posterodistally acutely point- ed; carpus rounded, ratio length: breadth= 2; propodus palm oblique, scarcely defined.

Gnathopod 2 of female propodus ratio length: breadth = 2.6, palm nearly straight, with many shallow excavations about one third of total length, corner not defined. Gnathopod 2 of male propodus rectangular, about twice as long as wide, palm in the shape of a question mark or J, well defined by a prominent acute tooth, next to it palm distally smoothly excavated, no serrations, proximally ending in a rounded hump, beset with many short robust setae.

Pereopods basis in female slender, in male robust, in pereopod 7 basis ratio length: breadth = 1.5, posterior margin rounded, only very small serrations.

Epimeral plate 1 shorter than epimeral plate 2; epimeral plates 1, 2 posterodistal corner with scarcely visible very shallow excavation and second tooth. Epimeral plate 3 with few but strong teeth distally.

Uropod 3 very characteristic, always having a “knee” between peduncle and rami; peduncle ratio length: breadth = 2.2, outer ramus ratio length: breadth = 6.75, with many robust setae marginally and distally in 8–9 groups, apically long setae, that are easily lost.

Telson with 1 strong short robust seta distally, less than half telson length, accompanied by 1 other, of half length, on each side; 1 plumose seta on the outer margin distally, 2 robust setae and 1 seta marginally.

Etymology. Dedicated to Kelly Merrin and Melissa Storey with whom I shared the lab at Museum Victoria and who at any time were helpful and friendly “daughters” to their guest!

Distribution. Bass Strait, Australia, muddy, medium to coarse sand, sand-shell, 33– 65 m.

Figures

Figure 8. Linguimaera kellissa sp. nov. (eastern Bass Strait). Gn1 male, Gn2s male, Gn2 1 male in scale x = 1 mm; Gn1´male, Gn2´female, Gn2 l´ male in scale y = 1 mm.

Figure 9. Linguimaera kellissa sp. nov. (eastern Bass Strait). UL; Md, LL, T´ in scale = 0.5 mm; U3, Ep2, 3; T in scale = 1 mm.