A new species of amphipod of the genus Neomegamphopus (Crustacea,Amphipoda, Neomegamphopidae) from Rodrigues,Indian Ocean

A new species of Neomegamphopus Shoemaker is described from Rodrigues, Indian Ocean. The systematics of the Neomegamphopidae from the Indian Ocean is discussed and a key to the species from that ocean is provided.     

Contribution to knowledge of the genus Haploops,a new location for Haploops lodo (Crustacea: Amphipoda: Ampeliscidae) from the bathyal North Atlantic Ocean with a complement to the description of the species

Over the last two decades, several works on the family Ampeliscidae have been published, in particular about three of the four genera in the family: Ampelisca, Byblis, and Haploops. Recently, additional material collected during the BIOFAR sampling around the Faeroe Islands and during the BIOICE sampling around Iceland, in the Bay of Biscay and the EUMELI 2 campaign along the African coasts were examined. The genus Haploops was numerous (>3500 individuals), and within this material were interesting specimens. Six of them, found at four stations about 100 km off Mauritania, have been recognized as Haploops lodo (Barnard, 1961 Barnard, J. L. 1961. Gammaridean amphipoda from depths of 400 to 6000 m.. Galathea Report, 5: 23–128.  [Google Scholar]) a bathyal and abyssal species previously seen only in the Pacific ocean offshore of the American coasts. In this article, an Atlantic H. lodo specimen representative of the Atlantic specimens is compared to the holotype. The geographical and bathymetric distribution of H. lodo in the depths of the North Atlantic and Pacific Oceans are discussed.     

Two new phoxocephalids (Crustacea: Amphipoda: Phoxocephalidae) from the south-west Atlantic

A new genus and species, Parafoxiphalus longicarpus, and a new species, Metharpinia protuberantis belonging to the family Phoxocephalidae, are described from the Argentine Sea. Both taxa were collected from sandy substrata in the intertidal and subtidal regions. Parafoxiphalus longicarpus is related to Foxiphalus Barnard, 1979 and they share many characters, most of them in plesiomorphic condition. Metharpinia protuberantis is an intermediate species between Metharpinia Schellenberg, 1931 and Microphoxus Barnard, 1960, and its assignation to the first genus is discussed.     

Biting mechanism of the amphipod Anonyx (Crustacea: Amphipoda: Lysianassoidea)

Anonyx amphipods feed extensively on dead or weakened animals, often of large size. They cut off strips of food using the wide incisor processes of their mandibles like a pair of shears. The mandibles and associated mouthparts are specialized for this shearing action. The strips of food are coiled and packed into their proventriculi.     

A new superfamily,family, genus and species of marine amphipod,Protodulichia scandens,from Japan (Crustacea: Amphipoda: Senticaudata: Corophiida)

ABSTRACT

In this study, the new amphipod superfamily Protodulichioidea and family Protodulichiidae are established. Both belong to the infraorder Corophiida but is different from all known superfamilies and families. Amphipods included in the new superfamily and family are characterised by having a triangular head with large eyes, extremely long pereopod 7, and uropod 3 with a short peduncle and slender rami bearing a few robust setae. Protodulichia scandens gen. et sp. nov. is fully described here and its mast-building behaviour is also recorded.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:F6613B27-D954-4E4C-86CB-9FC5E9624334     

A new genus and species of Caprellidae (Crustacea: Amphipoda) from Kiribati

ABSTRACT

Luisacaprella eliae gen. nov, sp. nov. (Crustacea, Amphipoda, Caprellidae) is described bwct ased on specimens collected from Kiribati, Pacific Ocean. The new genus is close to Aciconula but can be mainly distinguished by the following characteristics: (1) pereonites 6 and 7 are fused in Luisacaprella gen. nov. while they are separated in Aciconula; (2) the setal formula of mandibular palp is 2-x-1 in Luisacaprella and 1-x-1 in Aciconula; (3) pereopods 3 and 4 are two-articulate in males and females of Luisacaprella, whereas there is sexual dimorphism in Aciconula, and males have pereopods 3 and 4 two-articulate while females have pereopod 3 two- or three-articulate and pereopod 4 four-articulate. The new species L. eliae is additionally characterised by its tiny size (<3 mm). The new taxon was collected from dead branching coral of shallow waters (3–32 m). Further studies targeting small caprellids which could easily be overlooked from substrates such as sediments and dead corals are needed to properly understand the global caprellid diversity of tropical and temperate areas.

http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:1F5A24BE-A7AC-4D3C-A087-F7284F84A2DC     

A new species of Ischyrocerus (Crustacea: Amphipoda) from Ireland,with a review of Ischyrocerus anguipes and Ischyrocerus minutus from the North-East Atlantic

A new species of ischyrocerid amphipod, Ischyrocerus fractus sp. nov., is described from south-west Ireland. An examination of material from the Sars Collection at the Zoologisk Museum, Oslo, has confirmed that Ischyrocerus minutus Sars, previously placed as a synonym of Ischyrocerus anguipes Krøyer, is a valid species and is widespread in the British Isles, while I. anguipes is Arctic/boreal in distribution.     

Two new species of Niphargus (Crustacea: Amphipoda) from Iran

Two Niphargus species, Niphargus khayyami sp. nov. and Niphargus khwarizmi sp. nov., are morphologically analysed and described. Both species are found in western Iran, which represents the easternmost border of the distributional area for this subterranean amphipod genus. We were unable to attribute N. khayyami sp. nov. to any of 80 Niphargus species that were analysed for 28S ribosomal DNA sequences; sequencing of N. khwarizmi sp. nov. failed. Niphargid findings from west Asia recorded in 5 years imply that almost one half of the range of this large freshwater amphipod genus is still unexplored. http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:9E9E7CC9-83E2-419F-A394-57197305E1EF     

The amphipod genus Alexandrella (Amphipoda,Stilipedidae): taxonomic status,allometric growth and description of two new species

Two new species of the genus Alexandrella are described: A. mandibulata and A. martae. One species, A. mixta, is considered a junior synonym of the type species A. dentata. The genus now comprises six species, all of which are restricted to either the Antarctic or sub‐Antarctic region or the South Pacific. Oostegites are observed to be present on pereopod 1 in two Alexandrella species. This is a novel morphological trait among the Amphipoda. Developmental information is presented for two other Alexandrella species, in which the mandibular incisor is seen to be modified from strongly toothed in marsupial young to totally smooth in mature specimens. Also the armature dorsally on their body and the morphology of the telson undergo conspicuous allometric changes. A key to all known Alexandrella species is provided.     

A new species of Valettia (Crustacea: Amphipoda) and the relationship of the Valettidae to the Lysianassoidea

The family Vallettidae is re-established to accommodate Valettia coheres Stebbing, 1888 and V. hystrix sp. nov. Although closer to the Lysianassoidea than to any other gammaridean superfamily, characters of the mandible, maxillae, gnathopods and oostegites preclude membership of that superfamily. Further assessments of the Valettidae and other family groups peripheral to the Lysianassoidea will be required before formal high-level classification can be established.     

New records of West and South African Bathyporeia,with the description of four new species and a key to all species of the genus (Crustacea,Amphipoda)

New data on the warm temperate and tropical east Atlantic Bathyporeia species are presented. Four new species are described: Bathyporeia cunctator sp. nov. from South Africa, B. chevreuxi sp. nov. from Senegal, B. gladiura sp. nov. from South Africa, and B. griffithsi sp. nov. from Namibia. Bathyporeia cunctator sp. nov. and B. chevreuxi sp. nov. are very closely related to the west European B. tenuipes Meinert, 1877 and the Mediterranean B. lindstromi Stebbing, 1906 Stebbing, T. R. R. 1906. Amphipoda 1: Gammaridea.. Das Tierreich, 21: 1–806.  [Google Scholar]; these four cryptic species forming the complex tenuipes. Bathyporeia griffithsi sp. nov. and B. gladiura sp. nov. are highly distinctive new species. The morphotype “sunnivae” of Bathyporeia guilliamsoniana is recorded for the first time outside the Mediterranean Sea, in the Canary Islands. An identification key to all known Bathyporeia species is given.     

Atlantic and Mediterranean species of the genus Andaniexis Stebbing (Amphipoda: Stegocephalidae)

The Atlantic and Mediterranean species of the genus Andaniexis Stebbing, 1906 (Amphipoda: Stegocephalidae) are reviewed, and three new species are described. The species Andaniexis abyssi (Boeck, 1871) which previously was considered a widely distributed species (from Baffin Bay to both Spitzbergen and the Skagerrak), is here divided into three species: Andaniexis abyssi s.str., Andaniexis gracilis n.sp. and Andaniexis lupus n.sp. These species, together with Andaniexis mimonectes Ruffo, 1975, all have allopatric distributions. This is especially evident in northern Norway, where A. abyssi has its northernmost limit: A. abyssi is found in Solbergfjorden (69°10′N), while Andaniexis lupus is found in the adjacent fjord Malangen (69°30′N, the southern limit of this species along the Norwegian coast). Andaniexis eilae n.sp. is described from Iceland. This species is not closely related to the other North Atlantic species of the same genus.     

First record of the genus Limnoporeia Fearn-Wannan, 1968 (Crustacea: Amphipoda: Phoxocephalidae) from the Atlantic Ocean,with description of a new species

ABSTRACT

A new species of Limnoporeia is described. The material examined was collected on the scope of the Mini Biological Trawl Project, off southeastern Brazil’s coast on the states of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, ranging from 34 to 72 metres depth. Limnoporeia infirmichelata sp. nov. is diagnosed by: head with short rostrum; gnathopods weakly chelate; gnathopod 1, propodus wider than long; gnathopod 2, basis posterodistal corner with a long plumose seta; telson with 1 stout seta on each lobe. This is the first record of the genus for the Atlantic Ocean. An identification key is provided for all world species of Limnoporeia.

http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:CB9A8E15-196F-4CCC-8EE4-235246760111     

New Aoridae (Crustacea: Amphipoda) from Tasmanian kelp holdfasts

Three new aorid amphipod species from Tasmanian kelp holdfasts are described: Microdeutopus varietensis sp. nov., Lembos clematis sp. nov. and L. verrucularum sp. nov. Strong sub-ocular regression of the head is a usual feature of the genus Microdeutopus and is shown by M. varietensis. It is not, however, typical of the other known Australian/NewZealand Microdeutopus species (M. haswelli and M. apopo). The Tasmanian Lembos species (L. chiltoni, L. clematis and L. verrucularum) are not known from New Zealand, where the genus is represented by L. pertinax, L. acherontis and L. hippocrenes. The Tasmanian Lembos species display the condition of the mandibular palp that typifies the genus, that is, article 3 longer than article 2 (cf. the New Zealand species which display the reverse, unusual, condition).     

Two new species of Metharpinia Schellenberg (Amphipoda: Phoxocephalidae) from the south-west Atlantic

Two new species, Metharpinia dentiurosoma and Metharpinia grandirama, belonging to the family Phoxocephalidae are described and illustrated from the Argentine Sea. Both taxa were collected dredging at different depths and the grain size of the sediment was determined for each sampling station. The new species share character states with Metharpinia Schellenberg, 1931 and Microphoxus Barnard, 1960, and their assignation to the first genus is discussed. Metharpinia dentiurosoma and Metharpinia grandirama are distinguished from the other known species of the genus by the dorsal hook on urosomite 3; in addition, the first species is characterized by its epimeron 3 and the second species by its uropod 2.     

An enigma from Australia: a new variation on the corophioid theme (Crustacea: Amphipoda)

Aetiopedes gracilis gen. et sp. nov. (Amphipoda : Isaeidae) is described from southern Australian (Tasmanian, Victorian) shallow coastal sand habitats. The taxon superficially resembles an ampeliscoid having antenna 2 markedly longer than antenna 1 and peraeopods 3–4 with long, slender dactyls. The possibility is raised that glandular peraeopods may be a synapomorphy associating Ampeliscoidea with Corophioidea as sister groups. The structure of peraeopods 3–4 (merochelate), labrum (toothed) and telson (shortened) are all autapomorphies peculiar to the new taxon. Within the Isaeidae, Aetiopedes appears to be closest to Amphideutopus. The relationships of these taxa are discussed in relation to the hypotheses of Barnard & Thomas (1987) on the systematics of the Neomegamphopidae.