Saltipedis nugoris Błażewicz-Paszkowycz & Bamber, 2007

Błażewicz-Paszkowycz, M. & Bamber, R. N., 2012, The Shallow-water Tanaidacea (Arthropoda: Malacostraca: Peracarida) of the Bass Strait, Victoria, Australia (other than the Tanaidae), Memoirs of Museum Victoria 69, pp. 1-235 : 56

Saltipedis nugoris Błażewicz-Paszkowycz & Bamber, 2007

Figure 37

S. nugoris Błażewicz-Paszkowycz & Bamber, 2007a , 26–31, figs 13–15.

Magniaculeus nugoris Guţu, 2008, p. 58 .

Description of male cheliped ( Fig. 37). Much more robust than that of female. Basis stout, twice as long as wide, with dorsoproximal two-humped apophysis and dorsodistal expansion into which proximal part of merus fits; with mid-ventral spine and ventrodistal seta. Exopodite with three articles, distal article with six marginal plumose setae. Merus almost rectangular, with mid-ventral seta and tuft of eight simple distal setae. Carpus stout, 1.5 times as long as wide, with paired small dorsodistal setae, ventrally with three submarginal and two marginal setae. Chela stout, propodus with tufts of setae dorsodistally and on mid-distal apophysis, fixed finger with array of distal setae as figured, conspicuous tooth-like apophysis on cutting edge; dactylus cutting edge with fine crenulation and setules distally, tooth-like apophysis proximally.

Remarks. This species was described originally from numerous specimens collected throughout the Bass Strait, on muddy- to coarse sandy substrata from depths between 12 and 293 m. Numerous further samples of this species exist in the collections of Museum Victoria, over 100 specimens having been examined in the course of this study in addition to the type-collection, and conforming to the same habitat range as the type collection.

This re-examination of material has enabled us to expand on the original description, to include the dimorphic male cheliped. While this species was originally confused with Saltipedis forex Bamber, 2005 , until the distinctions from morphological detail were determined, the male cheliped reinforces the differences: that of S. forex is without the proximal apophysis on the basis, has a spine rather than a seta mid-ventrally on the basis (as does the female), no mid-ventral seta on the merus, and a truncated fixed finger to the chela (thus without tooth-like apophysis), more reminiscent of the male chela of the unrelated apseudid Mendamanus ailurostoma Bamber, 1999 .