Metatanais progenitor Bird, 2015

Bird, Graham J., 2020, Additions to the Tanaidacea (Crustacea: Peracarida) of Rangitâhua, the Kermadec Islands, from the Southwest Pacific Expedition 2017, Zootaxa 4860 (2), pp. 151-178 : 172

Metatanais progenitor Bird, 2015

Fig. 12F

Metatanais progenitor: Bird (2015) : 392 –396, figs 21–25, 400, table 2; Bird (2019): 71, table 10.

Material examined. 1 manca-III, 1.2 mm, 2 non-ov. ♀♀, 1.5–1.6 mm, AMS P.105580, SWP2017-135-2; 1 non-ov. 2.0 mm, AMS P.103212, SWP2017-135.

Distribution. Denham Bay, Raoul Island, 3– 18 m.

Remarks. The previous records of this distinctive species also came from Raoul Island or other smaller islands in the group, at 10–27 m (ibid: 392, 396), although the new record is potentially from even shallower water. The body length of non-ovigerous females now extends to 2.0 mm, and the manca-III stage is now recorded. A similar species from Hawaii, M. spinipropodus Morales-Núñez, Pelleteri & Heard, 2016 adds to the species diversity of the genus, now recorded from Japan and Australia in addition to the Kermadecian and Hawaiian taxa. Metatanais progenitor remains the only described species to have females bearing pleopods.

Figures

FIGURE 12. Comparative size of Rangitâhua-Kermadecs shallow-water tanaids based on holotype or representative specimens. A, Chondrochelia acrolophus; B, Aparatanais tetradonta; C, Zeuxo kermadecensis; D, Paradoxapseudes floppae; E, Psalidichelia concinna; F, Metatanais progenitor; G, Tanais sp.; H, Collettea coralensis; I, leptocheliid LK#1. Scale bars: 1 mm for all.