Leucothoe wuriti, Thomas, James Darwin & Klebba, Kristine N., 2007

Thomas, James Darwin & Klebba, Kristine N., 2007, New species and host associations of commensal leucothoid amphipods from coral reefs in Florida and Belize (Crustacea: Amphipoda), Zootaxa 1494, pp. 1-44 : 30-37

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.5281/zenodo.176998
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5689618
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03FB87F4-3029-C655-9699-FCE751DEFA9D
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Leucothoe wuriti
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Leucothoe wuriti View in CoL n.sp.

Figures 19–21 View FIGURE 19 View FIGURE 20 View FIGURE 21 ; 22c–d

Leucothoe spinicarpa: Ortiz View in CoL : 1975:10, Figure 5.

Holotype. Male “A,” 6.84 mm, YPM 38659: JDT Bel 03/03-7b— 4Mar03; Co Cat Cay, Pelican Cays, Belize; N 16º39.527' x W 88º12.032'; mangrove lagoon, in the tunicate Phallusia nigra , 3m; J.D. Thomas and K.N. Klebba, collectors.

Paratypes. Female “B,” 5.70 mm, YPM 38660: JDT Bel 03/03-7b— 4Mar03; Cat Cay, Pelican Keys, Belize; N 16º39.527' x W 88º12.032'; mangrove lagoon, in the tunicate Phallusia nigra on mangrove roots, 3m; J.D. Thomas and K.N. Klebba, collectors.

Other material examined. YPM 38661: 8May76; Big Pine Key, Florida, U.S. A, Newfound Harbor Marine Institute, canal; N 24º40.000' x W 81º21.044'; in the tunicate Phallusia nigra from fouling communities, 1–3m; J.D. Thomas collector.

Diagnosis. Mandibular palp: article 2 with 18 setae. Coxae: coxa 1 bell-shaped, anteroventral and posteroventral margins produced, proximal margins constricted, anterior margin with a long facial seta, coxa 3 narrow, coxa 4 posteromedial margin excavate. Gnathopod 1: basis, anterior margin with 5 short setae; carpus, posterior margin with six short setae. Gnathopod 2: propodus, mediofacial row of feeding setae displaced to midline, reaching 0.92 of propodus. Pereopods: pereopods 3–4 bases with both anterior and posterior setae; pereopods 5–7, bases narrow, posteroventral margin of bases tapering ventrally.

Description of male holotype “A”. Ratios of antennae 1 and 2, 0.27 and 0.23 X body length; relative lengths of antennae 1 and 2, 1.00:0.85, flagella 10 and four-segmented. Anterior margin of head rounded; mid-ventral keel, anterior margin straight, vertical, with rounded anteroventral projection. Coxae 1–4, width ratios 1.00:0.89:0.71:1.11; coxae 5–6 bilobed; coxa 7 reduced, ovate.

Upper lip asymmetrically lobate, all margins setose. Mandibles lacking molar; palp 3-articulate, ratio of articles 1–3, 1.00:3.56:1.56; article 2 with 18 posterior setae; article 3 with two apical setae; incisors strongly dentate. Left mandible, lacinia mobilis large, strongly toothed; 12 raker spines. Right mandible, lacinia mobilis a small flake; 10 raker spines. Lower lip, inner lobes fused; outer lobes with broad gape, anterior margin continually setose. Maxilla 1, palp 2-articulate with four apical setae; outer plate with nine spines. Maxilla 2, inner plate with eight thickened medial, six apicomarginal and two submarginal facial setae; outer plate with three stout apical and 15 lateral marginal setae. Maxilliped, inner and outer plates reduced; inner plate fused, apical lobes each with 3 setae; outer plate anterolateral margin with few setae; palp 3-articulate, palp article 1, lateral margin with plumose setae; article 4 anteromedial margin with dense covering of short pubescent setae.

Gnathopod 1, coxa anteroventral margin slightly produced, with three short setae and one large anterior submarginal seta, ventral margin rounded, posterior margin produced; basis linear, anterior margin with six short setae, posterior margin with tuft of four short setae; carpal lobe thick, LW 5.57, posterior margin with six short setae, anterior margin grooved, bordered by paired rows of denticles, bearing ca 17 short setae; propodus, posterior margin serrate, lateral margin with six stout setae and assorted array of shorter setae; dactyl long, reaching 0.36 of propodus. Gnathopod 2, coxa subrectangular; LW 0.97, anterior and ventral margins rounded, posterior margin slightly excavate; basis linear, anterior margin with seven medium setae, posterior margin lacking setae; carpal lobe, lateral margin smooth, recurved, apical margin oblique, with seven serrations, bearing setae, reaching 0.59 propodus; propodus, palm, distal margin with one major and two minor projections, remainder of palm smooth, rounded, primary mediofacial row of feeding setae displaced to midline, reaching 0.92 of propodus, secondary mediofacial row lacking; dactyl thick, recurved, reaching 0.77 of propodus.

Pereopod 3, coxa narrow, LW 1.55, anterior margin rounded, ventral margin convex, posterior margin straight. Pereopod 4, coxa anterior margin straight, ventral margin rounded, posteromedial margin excavate. Pereopods 3 and 4 bases with both anterior and posterior setae. Pereopods 5–7, coxa 5–6 bilobed; coxa 7 small, ventrally convex; pereopods 5–7, posteroventral margin of bases tapering, bases narrow, length to width ratios 1.48:1.45:1.50, posterior margin of pereopods 5 and 6 bases smooth, posterior margin of pereopod 7 with small serrations.

Epimera 1–3, ventral setae, 0:4:0, respectively; epimera 3, posteroventral margin rounded, minutely produced. Uropods 1–3, relative lengths 1.00:0.59:0.82; relative lengths of peduncles 1–3, 1.00:0.59:0.82. Uropods 1–3, medial margins of outer rami lacking setae. Uropod 1, peduncle 1.15 X rami length, with two medial and seven lateral marginal setae; outer ramus 0.94 X inner ramus; inner ramus with one medial and four lateral marginal setae; outer ramus with four lateral marginal setae. Uropod 2 shortened, peduncle 0.95 X rami length, with two medial and two lateral marginal setae; outer ramus 0.75 X inner ramus; inner ramus with two medial and one lateral marginal setae, medial margin finely serrate; outer ramus with four lateral marginal setae. Uropod 3, peduncle 1.06 X rami length, with one medial and five lateral marginal setae; outer ramus 0.97 X inner ramus; inner ramus with two lateral marginal setae; outer ramus with zero medial and five lateral marginal setae. Telson LW 2.35, apical margin tridentate bearing two apical setae.

Description of female paratype “B”. Similar to male in all aspects except gnathopod 1, basis, posterior margin with eight short setae (versus no posterior setae in male); carpus narrow, length 6.42 X width.

Etymology. Gari’funa for “black” referring to the tunic color of its common ascidian host, Phallusia nigra .

Relationship. The elongate, displaced row of mediofacial setae on the propodus of gnathopod 2 in L. wuriti distinguishes it from all other Leucothoe species in the region. L. wuriti resembles L. garifunae and L. ubouhu in the numerous setae on mandibular palp article 2, with 18, 16, and 17 setae, respectively.

Remarks. Leucothoe wuriti exhibits a distinctive dorsal red “checkerback” color pattern on metosome segments 4–7. This color pattern is repeated on the lateral margins of somites 1–7 as small lateral spots and blotches and extends ventrally to the coxae and bases of appendages. Antennae 1 and 2 have distinctive red bands.

Ecology. In Florida, L. wuriti is known only from branchial chamber of the large, black, solitary ascidian, Phallusia (formerly Ascidia ) nigra . Specimens can be collected in-situ by gently squeezing the base of the tunicate and capturing the amphipods from the water column as they are expelled from the siphons. In Belize, L. wuriti has been collected from both Phallusia nigra and Ascidia curvata , a translucent solitary ascidian. In his 1975 paper Ortiz also reported L. spinicarpa from Ascidia nigra in Cuban waters. While no specimens of this amphipod are available for examination, the distinct color pattern drawn by Ortiz matches the checkerback pattern of L. wuriti indicating this report is almost certainly that of L. wuriti .