Ampithoe kava Myers, 1985

Hughes, L. E. & Lowry, J. K., 2009, Ampithoidae *, Zootaxa 2260 (1), pp. 153-219 : 161-164

Ampithoe kava Myers, 1985

( Figs 5 , 6 )

Ampithoe ramondi . —J.L. Barnard, 1970, 50: 18, 19. — Ledoyer, 1984: 13, fig. 4.

Amphithoe kava Myers, 1985: 21 (key), 22, fig. 15. — Myers, 1986: 288, table 1. — Lyons & Myers, 1990: 1200, figs 3, 4.

Ampithoe kava . — Poore & Lowry, 1997: 909, figs 6–9. — Lowry & Stoddart, 2003: 60 (catalogue). — Appadoo & Myers, 2004: 333 (key). — Peart, 2007b: 42–44 , figs. 30–31 (key).

Material examined. 1 dissected male ‘A’, 6.0 mm, 2 slides, AM P76794 ( JML 84-4-11-4-N); 1 dissected female ‘D’, 5.8 mm, 3 slides, AM P76795 ( JML 84-4-11-4-N); 1 dissected male ‘C’, 6.0 mm, 3 slides, AM P76793 ( JML 84-4-11-4-N); many unsexed, AM P76796 ( JML 84-4-11-4-N).

Type locality. Taunovo Bay , Viti Levu, Fiji (18º15’S 178º00’E), living on mixed red algae .

Description. Based on male ‘A’, 6.0 mm, AM P76794.

Head. Head as long as deep. Antenna 1 subequal to antenna 2; peduncular article 1 longer than article 2; flagellum 14 articles; accessory flagellum absent. Antenna 2 peduncle not densely setose on ventral margin; article 4 shorter than article 5; flagellum 11 articles. Upper lip directed nearly straight down, around 90 degrees. Mandible molar well developed, triturating, accessory setal row with 3 serrate setae; palp 3– articulate, marginally setose; article 1 shorter than article 2; article 2 subequal in length to article 3, slender setae present. Lower lip outer plates notched forming a deep distal cleft, medial and lateral lobes subequal in size; mandibular lobe with curved margins, subacute apically. Maxilla 1 inner plate with 2 seta; palp article 2 slender. Maxilla 2 inner plate narrower than outer plate. Maxilliped outer plate with row of large robust setae along medial margin.

Pereon. Coxae 1–4 deeper than broad. Gnathopod 1 smaller than gnathopod 2; coxa 1 smaller than coxa 2, produced, anterior margin straight, anteroventral corner rounded; basis longer than coxa, anterodistal lobe large, rounded, with 3 slender setae; merus posterodistal lobe acute; carpus about as long as broad, shorter than propodus, anterior margin with 1 robust seta, posterior margin convex; propodus narrow, subrectangular; palm slightly acute, straight, with posterodistal corner rounded, with 1 robust seta defining palm; dactylus slightly overreaching palm. Gnathopod 2 basis with medial row of slender setae, anterodistal lobe large, rounded, with 6 slender setae; merus margin with short, rounded anterodistal lobe; carpus shorter than propodus, subtriangular; propodus broad, less than 1.5 x as long as broad, subrectangular, produced into an anterodistally setose lobe, anterior margin with fringe of slender setae; palm medially incised, with posterodistal tooth, long (length 3 x breadth), apically blunt, without palm defining robust setae; dactylus subequal in length to palm, tapering evenly, apically acute, inner margin crenate. Pereopods 3–4 basis moderately expanded; merus longer than carpus. Pereopods 5–7 weakly prehensile. Pereopod 5 without medial slender setae; distal articles slender; propodus slightly expanded distally, with 1 anterodistal striated robust seta; dactylus strongly curved. Pereopod 6 basis posterior margin sinusoidal, with several marginal robust setae; distal articles slender; propodus slightly expanded distally, without anterodistal striated robust setae; dactylus strongly curved. Pereopod 7 similar to pereopod 6.

Pleon. Epimera 2–3 posteroventral corner broadly rounded. Uropod 1 peduncle with 6 robust setae, with long fringe of slender setae (greater than 0.5 x length of peduncle), with small rounded distoventral spine; outer ramus length about 4 x as long as broad, with 6 lateral robust setae; inner ramus with 3 lateral robust setae. Uropod 2 peduncle with 3 robust setae; outer ramus with 6 lateral robust setae; inner ramus with 3 lateral robust setae. Uropod 3 peduncle longer than broad, less than 2 x length of rami, without marginal slender setae, with 6 distal robust setae, with 3 distal slender setae; outer ramus with 2 large recurved distal robust setae, without lateral robust or slender setae; inner ramus with 3 distal slender setae, without lateral robust setae. Telson subtrapezoidal, apically truncated, with small apical cusp on each distolateral corner, with 3 pair of lateral and 2 pair of apical slender setae, and with 2 pair of lateral plumose setae.

Female (sexually dimorphic characters). Based on ‘D’ female, 5.8 mm, AM P76795. Gnathopod 1 subequal in size to gnathopod 2. Gnathopod 2 propodus not produced into an anterodistally setose lobe; palm sinusoidal, with posterodistal corner, subquadrate, with 1 robust seta defining palm.

Habitat. Living on macroalgae.

Remarks. Ampithoe kava with its long (length 3 x breadth) posterodistal blunt tooth on the propodus of gnathopod 2 (in males) is readily distinguished from all other GBR species. The GBR material differs slightly from the material figured from Port Jackson, New South Wales, Australia which has the gnathopod 1 palmar tooth abutting and overlapping the propodus, however this has since been found to be an artefact (A.G.B. Poore, pers. comm.). Material from both Port Jackson and the GBR most commonly have a slight gap between the propodus and the posterodistal tooth, as figured in the original description.

Distribution. Australia. Queensland: east of Carter and Yonge reefs, Great Barrier Reef (current study). New South Wales: Coffs Harbour ( Peart 2007b); Port Jackson ( Poore & Lowry 1997, Peart 2007b). Fiji. Viti Levu ( Myers 1985). Hawaii (J.L. Barnard 1970). Mauritius ( Appadoo & Myers 2004). Red Sea ( Lyons & Myers 1990). Tonga ( Myers 1986).

Figures

FIGURE 5. Ampithoe kava (Myers, 1985), male ‘A’, 6.0 mm, AM P76794, Lizard Island, Great Barrier Reef.

FIGURE 6. Ampithoe kava (Myers, 1985), male ‘A’, 6.0 mm, AM P76794, female ‘D’, 5.8 mm, AM P76795, Lizard Island, Great Barrier Reef.