Elasmopus gracilis Schellenberg, 1938

Hughes, Lauren E., 2015, Maeridae from the Indo-Pacific: Elasmopus, Leeuwinella gen. nov., Maeropsis, Pseudelasmopus and Quadrimaera (Amphipoda: Crustacea), Zootaxa 4059 (2), pp. 201-256 : 205-206

Elasmopus gracilis Schellenberg, 1938

( Figs 4 , 5 )

Elasmopus gracilis Schellenberg, 1938: 59 , fig. 31.— Ledoyer, 1967: 129, fig. 11.— Ruffo, 1969: 29, fig. 8.—Ledoyer, 1982: fig. 176.— Myers, 1986: 277, figs, 6, 7.— Myers, 1995: 28, 38.— Myers, 1997: 109.— Vader & Krapp-Schickel, 2012: 1202, 1203 (key).

Elasmopus brasiliensis .— J.L. Barnard, 1965: 500, fig. 11.

Material examined. Indian Ocean: 1 male, 6 mm, dissected, 4 slides, NTMCr018337, Ashmore Reef, 12°14'S, 12257'E, low water line, seagrass flats, green calcareous alga Halimeda sp., 29 July 1986, coll. H.K. Larson; 1 male, NTMCr018336, Ashmore Reef, 12°14'S, 122°59'E, low water, sand and reef flat, Thalassia dominant with Halimeda patches, 15 Apr 1987, coll. J.R. Hanley.

Type locality. Niui Island, Tuvalu (as Ellice Islands).

Remarks. Elasmopus gracilis has a wide distribution throughout the Indo-Pacific. Material examined here agrees with the original description from Tuvalu ( Schellenberg 1938) and subsequent illustrations from Tonga ( Myers 1986: figs, 6, 7).

Distribution. Pacific Ocean. Fiji. Viti Levu: Bau ( Schellenberg 1938). Micronesia; Kosrae ( J.L. Barnard 1965; Myers 1995). Tonga: Tongatabu ( Myers 1986). Tuvalu: Niui and Niutao (as Ellice Islands) ( Schellenberg 1938). Western Samoa ( Myers 1997). Indian Ocean.?Red Sea ( Ruffo 1969).? Madagascar ( Ledoyer 1967; 1982). Ashmore Reef (current study).

Figures

FIGURE 4. Elasmopus gracilis Schellenberg, 1938, male, 6 mm, NTM Cr 018337, Ashmore Reef, Northern Territory.

FIGURE 5. Elasmopus gracilis Schellenberg, 1938, 6 mm, NTM Cr 018337, Ashmore Reef, Northern Territory, scales 0.1 mm.