Ruffosius, Souza-Filho, 2011

Souza-Filho, Jesser F., 2011, First record of the family Cheidae (Amphipoda, Gammaridea) from the Brazilian coast, with description of two new genera and new species, Journal of Natural History 45 (5 - 6), pp. 327-346 : 337

Ruffosius gen. nov.

Etymology

Named in honour of Dr Sandro Ruffo (Civic Museum of Natural History, Verona, Italy) in recognition of his contribution to amphipod taxonomy. Gender masculine.

Type species

Ruffosius fluminensis sp. nov. (monotypic).

Diagnosis

Eyes well developed. Antenna 1 article 2 longer than article 3. Antenna 2 non-ensiform. Mandible molar non-triturative; left mandible with lacinia mobilis large, strongly dentate and almost as large as incisor size; right mandible with lacinia mobilis reduced, undentate. Maxilla 1 inner plate with three distal setae; outer plate with seven robust setae; palp 1-articulate with two sutures reaching about halfway along palp width. Coxae 1–4 relatively short. Gnathopod 1–2 robust. Uropod 2 uniramous.

Generic remarks

Ruffosius gen. nov. differs from both Cheus , from the Falkland Islands, and Microcheus gen. nov., from the South Brazilian coast, in having aesthetascs on female antenna 1, outer plate of maxilla 1 with seven robust setae, relative short coxae 1-4, more robust gnathopods 1–2, and uniramous uropod 2. Also, Ruffosius gen. nov. shares with Cheus the 1-articulate palp of maxilla 1 and well-developed eyes, but the former has a lacinia mobilia on right mandible.