Metaproto novaehollandiae ( Haswell, 1880 )

Guerra-García, José M. & Lowry, J. K., 2009, Caprellidae *, Zootaxa 2260 (1), pp. 290-327 : 313-315

Metaproto novaehollandiae ( Haswell, 1880)

( Fig. 12 )

Proto novae-hollandiae Haswell, 1880: 275 , pl. 2: fig. 3. — Mayer, 1882: 26; Stebbing, 1888: 1230. — Mayer 1890: 14.

Metaproto novaehollandiae . — Mayer, 1903: 26, pl. 1: fig. 11, pl. 6: fig. 24, pl. 9: fig. 3, 50. — Stebbing, 1910: 651. — McCain & Steinberg, 1970: 56. — Laubitz 1991: 103, fig. 1. — Guerra-García, 2002b: 396, fig. 2. — Guerra-García, 2003a: 100, fig. 2. — Guerra-García, 2004a: 10, 12, fig. 23. — Guerra-García, 2004b: 160, fig. 1. —Guerra-García, 2006: 430, fig. 23.

Phtisica marina . — Jones, 1984: 103.

Material examined. More than 20 specimens, AM P61702 ( QLD 1574 ). See station list for occurrences ( Lowry & Myers 2009) and Guerra-García (2006) for complete material examined .

Type locality. Port Jackson , New South Wales Australia (33º51’S 151º16’E) .

Description. Based on male, ~ 8.5 mm, female, ~ 6 mm.

Head and pereonites slender. Head/pereonite 1 fused (suture absent), slightly concave along dorsal margin; eye large, distinctive. Antenna 1 well developed; slender, 0.4 x body length; peduncle article 2 longest (slightly longer than article 3), article 3 straight; accessory flagellum absent; flagellum 0.4 x peduncular length, with more than 2 articles, proximal article composed of 2 articles. Antenna 2 0.5 x antenna 1 length, slender; peduncle without setae; flagellum about 1/4 (0.25 x) of peduncular length, with more than 4 articles. Labrum notched, forming shallow quadrilateral projections. Mandible right lacinia mobilis absent, accessory setal row with 7 setae; molar absent; with 3 trapezoid plates decreasing in size; palp 3–articulate, palp setal formula 1-5-1. Maxilla 1 outer plate with 6 stout apical setal-teeth. Maxilliped inner plate subequal to outer plate, round; outer plate subequal to inner plate; palp article 2 scarcely setose on inner margin; palp article 4 not enlarged, weakly falcate.

Pereon. Pereonites 2 to 7 not fused; pereonite 5 longest. Pereonite 1 without projections. Gnathopod 1 distinctly smaller than gnathopod 2; propodus triangular, palm begins about 1/3 along posterior margin, smooth, without large, rounded knob proximally; dactylus curved, inner margin smooth. Pereonite 2 without projections. Gnathopod 2 situated toward anterior end of pereonite 2; basis subequal in length to pereonite 2, without anterodistal projection; ischium without anterodistal projection; propodus subovate, large, anterodistal margin convex, without anterodistal triangular projection, without projections along mid-anterior margin; in larger specimens palm with proximal cavity filled with membranous sack, palm proximal projection with 3 robust (grasping) setae, palm margin convex, crumpled, without hook-like projection at base of dactylus, without sinus or midpalmar projection. Pereonite 3 without projections. Pereopod 3 well developed, with 6 articles. Pereonite 4 without projections. Pereopod 4 well developed, with 6 articles. Pereopod 5 well developed, with 7 articles, slender. Pereopods 6 and 7 simple. Pereopod 6 basis and propodus subequal in length. Pereopod 7 similar to pereopod 6.

Gills on pereonites 2 to 4. Pereonite 3 gill length about 2/3 of corresponding pereonite, curved posteriorly, elongate, cylindrical. Pereonite 4 gill length about 1/2 of corresponding pereonite, distal part curved posteriorly, elongate, cylindrical.

Pleon. Uropod 1 present; peduncle free, very short, length about 2/3 width; ramus length about 4–5 x width, ramus 4 x peduncular length.

Female (sexually dimorphic characters). Gnathopod 2 propodus elongate; palm margin straight, smooth, without distal shelf, with tiny midpalmar projection.

Remarks. Metaproto novaehollandiae is the only species of Metaproto on the reef. It differs from other GBR caprellids in having pereopod 3 to 5 well developed and gills on pereonites 2 to 4.

Distribution. Australia. Queensland: Ashmore Reef, Coral Sea. Dynamite Passage, outer Great Barrier Reef (Guerra-García 2006). Lizard Island: Crystal Beach; Chinamans Ridge, Watsons Bay; patch reefs at north end of Casuarina Beach; Mangrove Beach, Blue Lagoon; between Bird Islet & Trawler Beach, Blue Lagoon; outer reef slope midway between Bird Islet and South Island; north-west of Palfrey Island, southwest of Eagle Island (Guerra-García 2006). Heron Island: near entrance to harbour (Guerra-García 2006). Northern Territory: South side of New Year Island, Arafura Sea ( Guerra-García 2004a). Western Australia: 19º03.4’S 119º03.3’E to 19º03.6’S 119º03.6’E ( Guerra-García 2004a). New South Wales: Port Jackson ( Haswell 1880). Indonesia. Banda Sea ( McCain & Steinberg 1970). New Caledonia: 21º34’S, 116º27’E ( Laubitz, 1991). Papua New Guinea. Bootless Bay and Madang Lagoon ( Guerra-García 2003a). Philippines: 12º31’N, 120º39.5’E ( Laubitz 1991; Guerra-García 2002b). South Africa. ( McCain & Steinberg, 1970). Thailand. Phuket ( Guerra-García 2004b).

Figures

FIGURE 12. Metaproto novaehollandiae (Haswell, 1880). A, Male, ~8.5 mm, B, female, ~6 mm, AM P61702, Casuarina Beach, Lizard Island, Great Barrier Reef. Refigured from Guerra-García (2006).