Scyllarocuma, Corbera, 2006

Corbera, Jordi, 2006, A new operculate cumacean genus (Bodotriidae, Vaunthompsoniinae) from deep waters of New Caledonia, Zoosystema 28 (2), pp. 325-330 : 326

Genus Scyllarocuma n. gen.

TYPE SPECIES. — Scyllarocuma mclaughlinae n. sp.

ETYMOLOGY. — From the Greek Skillaros, referring to its resemblance to the slipper lobsters ( Decapoda , Scyllaridae ), and Cuma , meaning embryo or larva and from which the order name derives.

DIAGNOSIS. — Pseudorostral lobes flattened dorsoventrally, meeting in front of the frontal lobe, eyes absent. First pedigerous segment not visible. Exopods of third maxilliped and first pereopod developed, but rudimentary on second to fourth pereopods. Basis and ischium of first pereopod expanded laterally to form operculum fully covering mouth appendages. Pleon reduced, shorter than carapace length. Uropod endopod one-articulated.

REMARKS

In the three previously known operculate genera of the subfamily Vaunthompsoniinae , the operculum is formed by the expansions of the first pereopod as well as those of the third maxilliped ( Hale 1936, 1944) (Table 1). However,in Scyllarocuma n. gen. the operculum is formed exclusively by the expansions of the basis and ischium of the first pereopod.Moreover, Scyllarocuma n. gen. has the first pedigerous segment not visible, the exopod of the second pereopod reduced, and the endopod of the uropod one-articulated.