Metaprotella Mayer, 1890

Takeuchi, Jacqueline Hui Chern Lim Ichiro, 2012, The Distinctive Species Characteristics Of Metaprotella Sandalensis Mayer, 1898 (Crustacea: Amphipoda), Commonly Distributed Throughout The Tropical West Pacific Coasts, Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 60 (1), pp. 23-34 : 24

Genus Metaprotella Mayer, 1890

Diagnosis. — Head fused (suture present or vestigial as slight concaved area) with pereonite 1. Antenna 1 well developed; flagellum with more than 2 articles. Antenna 2 well developed; flagellum with 2 articles. Mandible well developed; molar present, well developed; palp 3-articulate, setal formula 1-x-y-1 or 1-x-1. Maxilliped well developed; inner plate (basal endite) smaller than outer plate (ischial endite); outer plate (ischial endite) well developed; palp article 3 with distal projection; palp article 4 well developed. Pereonite 4 clavate appendage absent. Pereonites 6 and 7 completely fused (dorsal suture absent). Pereopod 3 vestigial, with 1 article. Pereopod 4 vestigial, with 1 article. Pereopod 5 well developed, with 7 articles, with sparse, short setae and well-developed dactylus. Pereopods 6 and 7 well developed, with 7 articles. Gills on pereonites 3 and 4. Pleopods absent. Uropods 2 pairs; biarticulate, uniramous and vestigial (unclear). Telson (dorsal lobe) present.

Type species. — Protella haswelliana Mayer, 1882 , by monotypy

Remarks. — The generic diagnosis of the Metaprotella was recently defined by Takeuchi & Lowry (2007) based on newly collected material of M. haswelliana ( Mayer, 1882) , the type species of Metaprotella from Albany, Western Australia. Unlike M. haswelliana ( Mayer, 1882) which has a clear suture between the head and pereonite 1, Metaprotella sandalensis Mayer, 1898 has a more vestigial suture, recognised by a slight concave area (see Fig. 1 ). Thus, the generic diagnosis of Metaprotella in this paper is revised in order to include this variation.

Figures

Fig. 1. Metaprotella sandalensis, male, 8.87 mm, AM P.87572, Pointe de Easo (= Easho), Baie de Sandal, Lifou Island. Scales for A1, G1, and HD represent 0.1 mm; A2 and G2 represent 0.2 mm; whole body represents 0.5 mm.