Harpiniopsis vadiculus Hirayama, 1987

Horton, Tammy, 2008, Amphipoda from marine caves of Hong Kong Island, Journal of Natural History 42 (9 - 12), pp. 825-854 : 841

Harpiniopsis vadiculus Hirayama, 1987

( Figure 7 ) Harpiniopsis vadiculus Hirayama 1987 .

Material examined

Numerous females, males and juvenile specimens, from site D, 12.3 m depth, 28 m from mouth of Conic Island Cave, NHM Reg. Nos 2005.2719–2748. One female specimen from site C, 15 m depth, 20 m from mouth of Conic Island Cave, NHM Reg. No. 2005.2718.

Remarks

This species was collected from the anoxic sediments at the back of the cave. This species is the fourth phoxocephalid to be recorded from the South China Sea, only three genera and three species having been reported previously ( Lowry 2000). Harpiniopsis vadiculus can be distinguished from closely related species by the characteristic P7 basis, setation of epimeres 1–3, and the bevelled coxa 4. A complete description and illustrations of this species can be found in Hirayama (1987). Harpiniopsis vadiculus , along with the tanaidacean Pakistanapseudes hodgsoni Bamber, 2000 , the anthuridean isopod Caenanthura ibex Bamber 2008 , and the bivalve Theora lata (Hinds 1843) , is part of an assemblage of species so far found only (in Hong Kong waters) in the sediments of this cave. Harpiniopsis vadiculus was originally described from the Ariake Sea, Japan, which is the largest embayment on the west coast of Kyushu. The inner half of this sea is muddy ( Hirayama 1983), a similar habitat to that of the cave sediments. This record extends the distribution of the species from West Kyushu, Japan, to Hong Kong.

Figures

Figure 7. Harpiniopsis vadiculus Hirayama, 1987.