Leucothoe commensalis (Haswell, 1879)

White, Kristine N., 2011, A taxonomic review of the Leucothoidae (Crustacea: Amphipoda) 3078, Zootaxa 3078 (1), pp. 1-113 : 47

Leucothoe commensalis (Haswell, 1879)

Leucothoe commensalis Haswell, 1879a: 261 , 262, pl. 10, fig. 3. — Haswell, 1882: 246. — Haswell, 1885: 101. — Stebbing, 1906: 166. — Stebbing, 1910a: 580, 581. —J.L. Barnard, 1974b: 94, figs 55–57. — Ledoyer, 1984: 82, fig. 39. — Moore, 1987: 246–251, fig. 8. — Lowry & Stoddart, 2003: 155.

Leucothoe spinicarpa var. commensalis Miers, 1884: 312 , 313.

Type locality and specimens. Port Jackson , New South Wales, 33º51'S 151º16'E. Syntypes (probable), AM G5395 , AM P3470 (according to Springthorpe & Lowry, 1994) .

Material examined. No material available for examination. Diagnosis based on description by Haswell (1879) and J. L. Barnard (1974).

Diagnosis (sex unknown): Eye elongate. Ventral keel with large anterior projection. Maxilliped inner plate with facial setae. Gnathopod 2 propodus with three large projections and two mediofacial setal rows. Brick-red in color, sometimes light pink with crimson dots, sometimes mottled crimson color.

Note. The original description of L. commensalis Haswell, 1879 is vague and there are many variations in several structures in each subsequent report of the species. The material used for each report of L. commensalis needs to be examined in order to determine which reports are actually this species.

Female (sexually dimorphic characters). Unknown.

Habitat. Coral reefs, among sediment; 1–91 m (reported in fthm).

Host. Sponges: Antho (Isopenectya) chartacea , Iotrochopsamma arbuscula , Cymbastela concentrica ( Lendenfeld, 1887) , Holopsamma laminaefavosa Carter, 1885 , Halichondria Fleming, 1828 , Phorbas , and Phoriospongia cf. kirki ( Bowerbank, 1841); and ascidians, including Herdmania momus Savigny, 1816 .

Distribution. Pacific Ocean: Port Jackson, New South Wales ( Haswell 1879a; Haswell 1882; Miers 1884; Haswell 1885; Stebbing 1906; Stebbing 1910a; Lowry & Stoddart 2003), Victoria (J.L. Barnard 1974b), New Caledonia ( Ledoyer 1984 a), Tasmania ( Moore 1987).