Accalathura phuketensis, 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 : 2103-2104

Accalathura phuketensis sp. nov.

( Figure 31)

Type material. HOLOTYPE: ZMUC, non-ovigerous m 22.6 mm, sta CRU-2018, coral rubble, NW end of Ko Aeo , Phuket Is., Thailand, 3 m, 29 November 1995 . PARATYPES: ZMUC, one non-ovigerous m 17.8 mm, two juveniles, sta CRU-2035, fringing reef, Nai Yang Bay , Phuket Is., Thailand, 5 m, 6 December 1995 . USNM 253291 , one non-ovigerous m 19.2 mm, two juveniles, sta CRU-2032, dead columnar coral, Ko Racha Yai , Phuket Is., Thailand, 3 m, 5 December 1995 .

Other material examined. ZMUC, one juvenile, sta CRU-2003, dead coral, Ao Patong, Phuket Is., Thailand, 2 m, 16 November 1995 . ZMUC, one non-ovigerous m, sta CRU-2004, dead coral, Ao Patong, Phuket Is., Thailand, 7 m, 18 November 1995 . ZMUC, one juvenile, sta CRU-2005, dead Porites, Ko Hi, Phuket Is., Thailand, 5.4 m, 20 November 1995 . ZMUC, one juvenile, sta CRU-2007, dead coral, Ko Hi, Phuket Is., Thailand, 7.2 m, 20 November 1995 . ZMUC 0000, one juvenile, sta CRU-2020, coral rubble, Ko Aeo, Phuket Is., Thailand, 3 m, 29 November 1995 . ZMUC, two juveniles, sta CRU-2029, coral rubble, Ko Hi, Phuket Is., Thailand, 5 m, 1 December 1995 . ZMUC, one juvenile, sta CRU-2033, coral rubble, Ko Racha Yai, Phuket Is., Thailand, 5 m, 5 December 1995 .

Diagnosis. Female: Body with strong hollow rectangles of pigment on pereonites. Anterolateral corners of cephalon reaching beyond low rostrum. Pleonite 6, posterodistal margin broadly bilobed. Telson narrow, spear-shaped, gently tapering to narrowly rounded setose apex. Pereopod 1, propodus with proximal palmar lobe at obtuse angle to rest of palm, lobe broadly digitiform. Pereopod 2, propodus 3.25 times longer than greatest width, with six stout sensory setae on palm. Pereopod 7, carpus with seven setae on posterior margin; propodus ®ve times longer than wide, with 11 setae on posterior margin. Uropodal exopod slender, apically narrowly acute, about 4.5 times longer than greatest width; endopod distally rounded, about 2.25 times longer than basal width.

Remarks. Accalathura phuketensis belongs to the group of species characterized by a propodal lobe of pereopod 1 set at an obtuse angle to the palm. Four of these species are known from the Indo-West Paci®c: A. barnardi ( Nierstrasz, 1941) , which possesses a telson having six longitudinal ridges and which is broader than in the present species; A. indica ( Nierstrasz, 1941) , which has a uropodal exopod 3.7 times longer than wide, i.e. broader than in A. phuketensis ; A. normani ( Nierstrasz, 1941) , which has a broader telson than in the present species; and A. laevitelson ( Kensley, 1975) , known only from the juvenile holotype and which has less elongate posterior pereopods than A. phuketensis .

Etymology. The speci®c name refers to the type locality of this species, Phuket Island, Thailand.