Panathura indica, Kensley & Schotte, 2000

Kensley, B. & Schotte, M., 2000, New species and records of anthuridean isopod crustaceans from the Indian Ocean, Journal of Natural History 34, pp. 2057-2121 : 2084-2086

Panathura indica sp. nov.

( Figures 19, 20)

Type material. HOLOTYPE: USNM 253131 , non-ovigerous m 6.7 mm, sta F4-87, Picard Is., Aldabra, intertidal, 20 March 1987 . PARATYPES: USNM 253132 , one l 3.9 mm, two non-ovigerous m 5.4±6.0 mm, same data as holotype .

FIG. 20. Panathura indica sp. nov.: (A) lcephalon and antennae; (B) pleotelson and uropod; (C) lpereopod 1; (D) pereopod 2; (E) lpleopod 2.

Other material examined. USNM 253133 , six non-ovigerous m, three manca, from nine stations around Aldabra, from reef crest and shallow slope coral rubble, clumps of Halimeda and rotten wood, 0.5±26 m.

Diagnosis. Female: Body ten to eleven times longer than wide. Cephalon with low triangular rostrum, small well pigmented anterolateral eyes. Pleonites 1±5 free, wider than long, pleonite 6 longer than preceding segments, with free dorsal posterior margin. Telson widest at about midlength, narrowing posteriorly to rounded setose margin. Antennular peduncle of three articles; ¯agellum of ®ve articles, three distal articles each bearing single aesthetasc. Antennal ¯agellum of seven articles. Mandibular palp of three articles, article 2 longest; incisor of three cusps; lamina dentata having ®ve serrations; molar low, rounded. Maxillipedal endite reaching midlength of palp article 3; palp of ®ve articles, apical article tiny. Pereopod 1, carpus short, triangular; propodus barely ināted, palm bearing two short setae; unguis three-quarters length of rest of dactylus, with strong accessory seta at base. Pereopod 2, propodal palm with three short setae; unguis slightly more than half length of rest of dactylus. Pereopods 4±7, carpus with anterior margin shorter than posterior, with two setae on latter; propodus with two setae on posterior margin. Pleopod 1 slightly larger than following pleopods, with exopod somewhat operculiform. Uropodal exopod slightly more than twice longer than wide, with distinct convexity on lateral margin; endopod subequal in length to basis, distally broadly rounded.

Male: Cephalon with acutely triangular rostrum; eyes large, well pigmented. Antennular ¯agellum of nine articles bearing whorls of aesthetascs. Antennal ¯agellum of nine articles. Pereopod 1, propodal palm with strong proximal robust seta, plus four evenly-spaced fringed setae. Pereopod 2, propodal palm with enlarged seta at proximal third, two much smaller fringed setae distally. Pleopod 2, endopod with copulatory stylet articulating at proximal third of mesial margin; exopod of two articles. Uropodal exopod with mesial margin proximally distinctly excavate. Telson broader than in female.

Remarks. The present species diOEers from the type and only species in the genus, P. serricauda ( Barnard, 1920) , most conspicuously in the structure of the tailfan. The uropodal exopod in the earlier species is broadly rounded, almost subcircular, while in P. indica it is elongate±ovate. The telson of P. serricauda is widest posteriorly, broadly rounded, with serrate margins; in P. indica it is hastate, widest at midlength, with a narrowly-rounded apex and an entire margin.

Etymology. The speci®c name refers to the Indian Ocean.