Elasmopus alalo Myers, 1986

Myers, A. A., 2016, Amphipoda (Crustacea) from Palau, Micronesia: Families Maeridae and Melitidae, Zootaxa 4170 (3), pp. 451-474 : 452-454

Elasmopus alalo Myers, 1986

( Figs 1–3 )

Elasmopus pseudaffinis Barnard, 1965: 501 , figs 12, 13.— Ledoyer, 1972: 219, pls 38, 39.— Ledoyer, 1978:273, fig. 20a (in part).— Berents, 1983: 118, figs 15, 16.— Ledoyer, 1983: 480, figs 181, 182.— Ledoyer, 1984: 65, fig. 30b.— Ren, 1998: 203 –205, fig. 6.

Elasmopus alalo Myers, 1986: 273 , figs 4, 5.— Myers, 1995: 27.— Lowry and Stoddart, 2003: 177.— Lowry & Hughes, 2009: 646 –649, figs 1, 2.— Hughes & Lowry, 2011: 583,584.— Krapp-Schickel & Muller, 2011: 1, 2, figs. 1, 2.— Vader & Krapp-Schickel, 2012: 1196 (key).— Hughes, 2015: 90, fig. 7.

Material. 15 males, 24 females (OUMNH.ZC. 2002-24 -141), Pkuklim Reef, Halimeda clumps on reef rubble, from Halimeda (Chlorophyta) washings, - 6 m depth; 07°20.542'N, 134°34.023'E; leg. S. De Grave & C. Burras, 29 May 2002; 1 male (OUMNH.ZC 2002-24 -142), Ikedluches Reef, outer rubble slope, from Litophyton sp. ( Alcyonacea : Nephtheidae ), - 20 m depth; 07°17.987'N, 134°28.756'E; leg. S. De Grave & C. Burras, 25 May 2002; 2 females (OUMNH.ZC. 2002-24 -143), Lighthouse Reef, outer side, from rubble (mainly Acropora plates and bushy forms, heavily encrusted), - 5 m depth; 07°16.615'N, 134°27.606'E; leg. S. De Grave & C. Burras, 21 May 2002.

Remarks. Elasmopus alalo Myers, 1996 is apparently widespread from Madagascar through Indonesia, Australasia and the western Pacific to the Society Islands. It is possible that this taxon represents a species flock . Type material as well as material from Lizard Island ( Lowry & Hughes 2009) has smooth posterior margins to the basis of pereopods 5 to 7. Present material has serrated posterior margins to these appendages, as has material from the Society Islands ( Krapp-Schickel & Muller 2011) . Type material as well as material from the Society Islands ( Krapp-Schickel & Muller 2011) has rounded telsonic apices, whereas present material, as well as that from Lizard Island ( Lowry & Hughes 2009) and from New Caledonia (Ledoyer, 1974) has acute apices to the telson . The various combinations of characters makes it difficult to separate the materials into different taxonomic units . Type material was very large (12.5 mm), that of Lowry & Hughes (2009), was 11.5 mm, that of Hughes & Lowry (2011) was 8–9 mm, that of Ledoyer (1984), 8.0 mm, that of Krapp-Schickel & Muller (2011), 6.00–7.00 mm, while present material is smaller at 6.0 mm.

Distribution. Timor, Australia, Lord Howe Island, Norfolk Island, Madagascar, Mauritius, New Caledonia, Society Islands, South China Sea, Tonga, Marshall Islands, Palau (current study).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Elasmopus alalo Myers, 1986, Pkuklim Reef, Palau.

FIGURE 2. Elasmopus alalo Myers, 1986, Pkuklim Reef, Palau.

FIGURE 3. Elasmopus alalo Myers, 1986, Pkuklim Reef, Palau.