Iphiplateia verenaae, Coleman, Oliver & Lowry, James K., 2012

Coleman, Oliver & Lowry, James K., 2012, Revision of the genus Iphiplateia (Crustacea, Amphipoda, Phliantidae) from Australia, Zootaxa 3393, pp. 1-26 : 20-25

Iphiplateia verenaae sp. nov.

( Figs 13–16)

Type material studied. Holotype, unknown sex, 2.5 mm, NMV J 60905 .

Type locality. Port Campbell, Schomberg Reef, Victoria, Australia (38°36.813'S 142°53.306'E), subtidal rocky reef; artificial substrata (pot scrubber), 3.5–5 m depth, leg. T. O'Hara, J. Finn & Plummer on SCUBA, 19 April 1998, WV1.

Additional material examined. 3 specimens, 2.2–2.4 mm, unknown sex, NMV J 26786 , 11.7 km W of Pt Ricardo, Eastern Bass Strait,Victoria, Australia (37°49'53''S 148°30'08''E), FRV Sarda , 27 m depth, leg. N. Coleman, Smith-McIntyre grab, February 1991; 2 specimens, 1.5 and 2.7 mm, unknown sex, NMV J 26788 , 11.7 km W of Pt Ricardo, Eastern Bass Strait, Victoria, Australia (37°49'53''S 148°30'08''E), FRV Sarda , 27 m depth, leg. N. Coleman, Smith-McIntyre grab, February 1991; 1 specimen, 3.2 mm, unknown sex, NMV J 60909 , Cheviot Beach, Point Nepean, Victoria, Australia (38°18'S 144°40'E); 3.5–5 m depth, leg. T.D. O'Hara & Plummer, Quadrat/ SCUBA, 31 March 1998, WV 5; 1 specimen, 3.4 mm, unknown sex, NMV J 59353 , Cheviot Beach, Point Nepean, Victoria, Australia (38°18'S 144°40'E), 3.5–5 m depth, leg. T.D. O'Hara & Plummer, Quadrat/ SCUBA, 31 March 1998, WV 5; 1 specimen, 2.1 mm, unknown sex, NMV J 60907 , Cheviot Beach, Point Nepean, Victoria, Australia (38°18'S 144°40'E), 3.5–5 m depth, leg. T.D. O'Hara & Plummer, 31 March 1998; Quadrat/ SCUBA, WV 5; 1 female, 3.2 mm, 1 juvenile, 2.0 mm, NMV J 61128 , Cheviot Beach, Point Nepean, Victoria, Australia (38°18'S 144°40'E), 3.5–5 m depth, leg. T.D. O'Hara & Plummer, Quadrat/ SCUBA, 31 March 1998, WV 5; 1 male with penis papillae, 3.3 mm, NMV J 61127 , Cheviot Beach, Point Nepean, Victoria, Australia (38°18'S 144°40'E), 3.5– 5 m depth, leg. T.D. O'Hara & Plummer, Quadrat/ SCUBA, 31 March 1998, WV 5; 1 specimen, unknown sex, NMV J 59361 , unknown collection data, possible location is Crib Point, Westernport, Victoria, Australia where the likely collector M. Drummond did much of her work.

Etymology. This species is named for Verena Donner, the lovely new family member of the senior author.

Description. Based on holotype, 2.5 mm. Body shape ( Fig. 13a) oval from above, coxal plates splayed very much, body flat, with a dorsal carina ( Fig. 13b). Pereonite 1 longest. Pleonite 1 pointed posteriorly.

a b c g e

d f a

b c

e d

f g a b c a b c d Head as long as coxal plates 1, which partly cover the lateral sides of the head; eyes small, rounded; rostrum wide, rounded. Antenna 1 ( Fig. 13c) peduncular article 1 with narrow distomedial rounded lobe and a shorter subacute distolateral process; article 2 with a distomedial lobe with a convex outer margin, not reaching the apex of the 3rd peduncular article, and a subacute process distodorsolaterally; flagellum 3-articulate, its 2 apical articles narrow. Antenna 2 ( Fig. 13d) peduncular articles 4 and 5 weakly expanded distally; flagellum of 2 articles. Upper lip ( Fig. 13g) wide, rectangular, truncate distally. Mandible ( Fig. 13g) incisors dentate; no palp present. Maxilla 1 ( Fig. 13e) inner plate without setation, outer plate with 5 apical robust serrate setae, no palp present. Maxilla 2 ( Fig. 13f) inner plate twice as wide than outer plate, both plates with a row of few short stout setae apicomarginally. Maxilliped ( Fig. 14a) inner plate apically truncate, with nodular setae distally; outer plate wide and rounded with few setae mediomarginally; palp 4-articulate, article 2 and 3 medially slightly produced with long slender setae; article 4 short.

Pereon. Pereopod 1 ( Fig. 14b) coxa anterodistally expanded; basis expanded posteromarginally; ischium and merus subequal in length; merus and carpus connected by oblique articulation; carpus subequal in length to propodus, anterodistal margin of carpus with a row of stout setae; propodus with an anteroproximal group of scattered stout setae; dactylus falcate. Pereopod 2 ( Fig. 14d) coxa subrectangular, somewhat expanded posterodistally; basis to dactylus similar in shape as in pereopod 1, but without the medial stout setae on carpus and propodus and propodus longer. Pereopod 3 ( Fig. 15 a) coxa subrectangular, slightly drawn out posterodistally; basis expanded posteromarginally; ischium longer than merus; merus distally expanded and anterodistal corner drawn out; carpus as long as merus with 2 robust setae anterodistally; propodus 1.9 x carpus length, with posterodistal spine; dactylus falcate. Pereopod 4 ( Fig. 15 b) coxa as long as wide, posteroproximally excavate; basis to dactylus as in pereopod 3. Pereopod 5 ( Fig. 15 c) coxa wider than long, bilobate, anterior lobe much larger as posterior lobe; basis long and strongly expanded posteriorly, with a wide lobe ventrally; ischium wider than long, slightly produced anterodistally; merus wide, drawn out antero- and posterodistally and excavate distally; carpus ovoid with distomarginal lobe; propodus longer than merus wide, with an anterodistomarginal robust seta; dactylus falcate. Pereopod 6 ( Fig. 16 a) similar to pereopod 5, but coxa smaller and merus wider. Pereopod 7 ( Fig. 16 b) coxa very small compared to pereopods 5–6, weakly bilobed; basis with small posterior lobe, much narrower than those of pereopods 5–6 and weakly expanded ventrally; ischium to dactylus subequal to those of pereopods 5 and 6.

Pleon. Pleopod 1 peduncle subrectangular, shorter than inner ramus; outer ramus slightly longer than inner. Pleopod 2 ( Fig. 16 c) peduncle wider than long, expanded medially, with 4 coupling hooks. Pleopod 3 ( Fig. 16 d) peduncle very short, with a long narrow medial lobe, at its end 2 coupling hooks (4 on the other pleopod 3); inner ramus small; outer ramus long. Uropod 1 ( Fig. 14e) outer ramus slightly shorter than peduncle, inner ramus 67% of outer. Uropod 2 ( Fig. 14g) inner ramus 65% of peduncle length; outer ramus 1.4 x as long as inner ramus. Uropod 3 ( Fig. 14c) peduncle wide and largely hidden by telson; inner ramus wanting, outer ramus slender. Telson ( Fig. 14f) ovoid, tapering distally.

Sexual dimorphism. The width of the habitus of the male is somewhat narrower, than in the female.

Variability. There is some variability in the hight of the dorsal keel and the length of the coxal plates.

Remarks. For differences between I. verenaae sp. nov. and the similar I. jakei sp. nov. see Table 2 .

Distribution. Victoria, Australia.