Pseudocaprellina pambanensis Sundara-Raj, 1927

Momtazi, Farzaneh & Sari, Alireza, 2013, Intertidal caprellids (Crustacea: Amphipoda) of the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, with description of three new species, Zootaxa 3717 (2), pp. 195-223 : 216

Pseudocaprellina pambanensis Sundara-Raj, 1927

( Figs 15 , 16 )

Pseudocaprellina pambanensis Sundara-Raj, 1927: 127 , pl. 17. —Sivaprakasam, 1977: 80–82, Fig. 1 , 2 . —Guerra-García, 2001: 25, Fig. 1 . —Guerra-García, 2002c: 221–223, Figs 1–4 . —Krapp-Schickel & Guerra-García 2005: 49, Fig. 1 . — Guerra-García 2004a: 17, Fig. 12 .

Material examined. ZUTC Amph. 2402, six males, 15 females and three juveniles. Loc 2 (Djod, 25°27'00" N, 59°30'36"E); AM P2007, 1 male.

Remarks. Material in the present study agrees well with previously studied material by Guerra-García (2002c). There are three pairs of gills on pereonites 2–4 ( Fig. 15 ), pereopod 5 is 3-articulated ( Fig. 16 P5). The setal formula on the mandibular palp is 1+3+1 ( Fig. 16 RMd) and the inner and outer lobes on the lower lip are apically setose ( Fig. 16 LL). Both male and female gnathopod 2 bear three spines on the propodus palm ( Fig. 16 Gn2). The first and second antennal flagellums are five and bi-articulated ( Fig. 15 ). Pereopods 6 and 7 are six-articulated ( Fig. 15 P6-7).

Material of Pseudocaprellina pambanensis was collected from filamentous algae only in one locality. Previous records of this species belong to Tanzanian coasts (Guerra-García 2002c), Indonesia (Krapp-Schickel & Guerra- García 2005) and Australia (Guerra-García 2004a).

The monotypic genus Pseudocaprellina Sundra-Raj, 1927 was described based on two male specimens from the Gulf of Mannar, India. Later, a mature female was described from same area by Sivaprakasam (1977) in which the second gnathopod bears three grasping spines while Sundra-Raj specimens have two grasping spines. The material from the Gulf of Oman has three grasping spines similar to Sivaprakasam description. According to Guerra-García (2002c), these are possibly intraspecific variations. Also, in this study, some variations on their mouth parts were observed such as article 3 of mandibular palp with 1+3+1 setal formula instead of 1+2+1 and inner and outer lobs on lower lip are apically setose ( Fig. 16 ).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Sampling localities in the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman.

FIGURE 2. Metaprotella macoranicus sp. nov. 7.36 mm. Holotype ZUTC Amph. 2418, Tiss. Scale a = 0.5 mm and b = 0.1 mm.

FIGURE 12. Pseudaeginella hormozensis sp. nov. 3.3 mm. Holotype ZUTC Amph. 2423, Hormoz Island. Scale a = 0.5 mm and b = 0.05 mm.

FIGURE 15. Pseudocaprellina pambanensis. Lateral view of male and female based on Djod material. Scale = 1 mm.

FIGURE 16. Pseudocaprellina pambanensis. Lateral view of male and female based on Djod material. Scale a = 0.05 mm and b = 0.25 mm.