Leucothoe ashleyae Thomas & Klebba, 2006

Dugger, Abigail R. & White, Kristine N., 2025, Caribbean Amphipoda (Crustacea) of Panama. Part V: parvorder Amphilochidira, ZooKeys 1259, pp. 57-102 : 57-102

Leucothoe ashleyae Thomas & Klebba, 2006

Figs 13 , 23 F

Leucothoe ashleyae Thomas & Klebba, 2006: 14–16, figs 1–3, 7; LeCroy 2011: 626, fig. 515; White 2011: 26–27, fig. 3.

Material examined.

Panama • 1–3 mm • 2 ♂; Bocas del Toro, STRI Point ; 07 Aug 2005; S. DeGrave, M. Salazar leg.; GCRL 6683 • 4 juveniles; Bocas del Toro, Bastamientos ; 07 Aug 2005; T. A. Haney leg.; GCRL 6684 • 1 ♀; Bocas del Toro, STRI Point ; 9.3487°N, 82.2626°W; depth 12 m; among coral rubble; 06 Aug 2021; K. N. White leg.; USNM 1762943 • 2 ♂, 7 ♀; Bocas del Toro, Almirante ; 9.2900°N, 82.3429°W; depth 10–11 m; commensal in Lissodendoryx columbiensis ; 07 Aug 2021; K. N. White leg.; USNM 1762944 • 1 ♂, 1 ♀; Bocas del Toro, Swan Caye ; 9.4536°N, 82.3000°W; depth 2 m; in sand; 24 June 2023; K. N. White leg.; USNM 1762945 • 4 ♂, 6 ♀, 3 juveniles; Bocas del Toro, Punta Caracol ; depth 1–2 m; commensal in Lissodendoryx columbiensis and among Halimeda ; 24 June 2023; K. N. White leg.; USNM 1762946 • 1 ♀; Bocas del Toro, Crawl Caye ; 9.2476°N, 82.1290°W; depth 5–8 m; among coral rubble; 26 June 2023; K. N. White leg.; USNM 1762947 • 1 ♀; Bocas del Toro, Pandora ; 9.3333°N, 82.2185°W; depth 7 m; among coral rubble; 26 June 2023; K. N. White leg.; USNM 1762948 .

Diagnosis.

Head anterodistal margin rounded; ventral keel rounded. Gnathopod 1 basis anterior margin with 0–1 seta, posterior margin bare; propodus palm serrate; dactylus reaching more than 0.2 × propodus length. Gnathopod 2 basis anterior margin with six short setae; carpus distally expanded, anterior margin dentate; propodus primary mediofacial setal row above midline, reaching 0.7 × propodus length, secondary mediofacial row with two or three setae, submarginal setal row present, palm with several small tubercles. Coxa 4 posterior margin slightly concave. Epimeron 3 posteroventral corner subquadrate.

Distribution.

USA: South Florida, Florida Keys; Bahamas; Puerto Rico: Vieques; Mexico ( Martín et al. 2013); Belize: Whale Shoals; Honduras: Roatan ( Thomas and Klebba 2006); Panama: Bocas del Toro ( White 2011; present study).

Ecology and remarks.

This species occurs as a commensal in sponges and among coral rubble and algae at depths of 1– 12 m. Panamanian specimens agree closely with previous descriptions of the species, with the exception of having gnathopod 1 coxa anterodistal corner smooth (vs serrate), carpus with distal setae (vs bare), and variation in the number of setae on gnathopod 2, remaining coxae, and pereopod 5–7 bases as noted by White (2011). Living specimens are translucent orange with a red eye.

Figures

Figure 13. Leucothoe ashleyae, female, 3.6 mm, epimeron 3, coxa 4, gnathopod 1 medial, gnathopod 2 medial, head. Scale bars: 0.5 mm.

Figure 23. Photographs of live specimens unless noted. A. Anamixis cavatura anamorph; B. Anamixis cavatura leucomorph; C. Anamixis vanga anamorph (ethanol-preserved specimen); D. Anamixis vanga leucomorph; E. Leucothoe alata (ethanol-preserved specimen); F. Leucothoe ashleyae; G. Leucothoe barana; H. Leucothoe flammosa. Scale bars: 1.0 mm.