Mallacoota nananui Myers, 1985

HUGHES, L. E., 2011, New species of Hoho, Mallacoota and Parelasmopus (Maeridae: Amphipoda) from Australian waters, Zootaxa 2955 (1), pp. 1-79 : 55-58

Mallacoota nananui Myers, 1985

( Figs 34–36 )

Mallacoota subcarinata . — Ledoyer, 1984: 72, fig 34.

Mallacoota nananui Myers, 1985: 121 , fig. 95. — Myers, 1986a: 1389, fig. 8. —Myer, 1986b: 277, fig. 8. — Springthorpe & Lowry, 1994: 26 (catalogue). — Lowry & Springthorpe, 2005: 267. — Lowry & Hughes, 2009: 680–684 , figs 21, 22.

Type locality. Lagoon , Nananui Ra, Viti Levu, Fiji (17º15'S 178º12'E) .

Material examined. Norfolk Island. 1 male, 7.5 mm, dissected, 3 slides, AM P.85222, Cathedral Rock (29°00'13"S 167°56'57"E), 11.8 m, red coralline algae Amphiora anceps, 13 May 2008, coll. L.E. Hughes, MV Jenny ( MI NFK 10 ) ; 1 male, 8.8 mm, dissected, 3 slides, AM P.85223, Emily Bay (29°03'36"S 167°57'12"E), 3 m, rubble encrusted in algae, 20 May 2008, coll. J.K. Lowry, MV Jenny ( MI NFK 89 ); 10+ specimens, AM P.81434, Emily Bay (29°03'36"S 167°57'12"E), 3 m, rubble encrusted in algae, 20 May 2008, coll. J.K. Lowry, MV Jenny ( MI NFK 89 ) ; 1 male, 1 female, AM P.81451, Emily Bay (29°03'36"S 167°57'12"E), 4 m, orange sponge drifting on sand bottom, 20 May 2008, coll. L.E. Hughes, MV Jenny ( MI NFK 79 ) ; 15 specimens, AM P.81454, Emily Bay (29°03'36"S 167°57'12"E), 4.6 m, red coralline algae in ball with detritus, 20 May 2008, coll. L.E. Hughes, MV Jenny ( MI NFK 81 ) ; 27 specimens, AM P.81443, Emily Bay (29°03'36"S 167°57'12"E), 3.8 m, algae and sand over dead coral, 20 May 2008, coll. R. T . Springthorpe , MV Jenny ( MI NFK 85 ) ; 1 male, 5 females, AM P.81459, Emily Bay (29°03'36"S 167°57'12"E), 3.7 m, rubble and algae, 20 May 2008, coll. R. T . Springthorpe , MV Jenny ( MI NFK 84 ); 10+ specimens, AM P.81438, Emily Bay (29°03'36"S 167°57'12"E), 4 m, green algae Caulerpa racemosa and large pieces of rubble with encrusting algae, 20 May 2008, coll. J.K. Lowry, MV Jenny ( MI NFK 88 ) ; 22 specimens, AM P.81437, Emily Bay (29°03'36"S 167°57'12"E), 3.7 m, rubble at reef edge, airlift on scuba, 20 May 2008, coll. R. T . Springthorpe , MV Jenny ( MI NFK 83 ) ; 3 males, 6 females, AM P.81453, Emily Bay (29°03'36"S 167°57'12"E), 4 m, tubes and rubble with encrusting algae, 20 May 2008, coll. J.K. Lowry, MV Jenny ( MI NFK 87 ) ; 19 specimens, AM P.81448, Emily Bay (29°03'36"S 167°57'12"E), 3.8 m, green algae Caulerpa racemosa , 20 May 2008, coll. L.E. Hughes, MV Jenny ( MI NFK 80 ) ; 2 males, 8 females, AM P.81425, Emily Bay (29°03'36"S 167°57'12"E) 3.7 m, rubble on sand, airlift on scuba, 20 May 2008, coll. R. T . Springthorpe , MV Jenny ( MI NFK 82 ) ; 2 males, 2 females, 2 juveniles, AM P.81432, Slaughter Bay (29°03'30"S 167°57'E), 4 m, mixed algae, 12 May 2008, coll. L.E. Hughes, MV Jenny ( MI NFK 4 ) ; 3 males, 4 females, 2 juveniles, AM P.81435, Swiss Cheese Reef , near Kingston wharf (29°00'22"S 167°56'50"E), 15 m, coralline algae and brown algae Dictyota sp. , 15 May 2008, coll. J.K. Lowry, MV Jenny ( MI NFK 41 ) ; 1 male, 2 females, AM P.81458, Swiss Cheese Reef , near Kingston wharf (29°00'22"S 167°56'50"E), 12 m, vertical face encrusted with sponges, under overhang, airlift on scuba, 15 May 2008, coll. R. T . Springthorpe , MV Jenny ( MI NFK 37 ) ; 2 males, 7 females, 1 juvenile, AM P.81427, Swiss

Cheese Reef , (29°00'22"S 167°56'50"E), 16.6 m, coralline algae Amphiora anceps, 19 May 2008, coll. L.E. Hughes, MV Jenny ( MI NFK 73 ); 2 males, 3 females, 2 juveniles, AM P.81461, Fig Valley Reef (29°03'20"S 167°55'44"E), 19.7 m, near limestone reef sediment and some algae, airlift on scuba, 19 May 2008, coll. R. T . Springthorpe , MV Jenny ( MI NFK 65 ); 1 male, AM P.81428, Fig Valley Reef (29°03'20"S 167°55'44"E), 18.5 m, coral rubble with algal tufts and sediment, airlift on scuba, 19 May 2008, coll. R. T . Springthorpe , MV Jenny ( MI NFK 67 ); 1 male, 3 females, AM P.81462, Fig Valley Reef (29°03'20"S 167°55'44"E), 19.6 m, bommie wall, airlift on scuba, 19 May 2008, coll. R. T . Springthorpe , MV Jenny ( MI NFK 66 ); 3 males, 3 females, AM P.81436, Fig Valley Reef (29°03'20"S 167°55'44"E), 20 m, encrusted green calcareous algae Halimeda sp. , 19 May 2008, coll. L.E. Hughes, MV Jenny ( MI NFK 68 ); 15 specimens, AM P.81446, Fig Valley Reef (29°03'20"S 167°55'44"E), 18.7 m, red coralline algae Amphiora anceps and other mixed red algae, 19 May 2008, coll. L.E. Hughes, MV Jenny ( MI NFK 71 ); 1 male, 2 females, AM P.81426, Gun Club Reef , near Anson Point (29°00'25"S 167°54'45"E), 18 m, coral rubble and green calcareous algae Halimeda sp. from reef, airlift on scuba, 17 May 2008, coll. R. T . Springthorpe , MV Jenny ( MI NFK 63 ); 2 male, 1 juvenile, AM P.81444, Puppies Point (29°01'23"S 167°55'09"E), 13 m, red algae, airlift on scuba, 17 May 2008, coll. R. T . Springthorpe , MV Jenny ( MI NFK 53 ); 1 male, 1 female, AM P.81447, Puppies Point (29°01'23"S 167°55'09"E), 13.5 m, green calcareous algae Halimeda sp. , airlift on scuba, 17 May 2008, coll. R. T . Springthorpe , MV Jenny ( MI NFK 50 ); 2 male, 7 female, AM P.81440, Cathedral Rock (29°00'13"S 167°56'57"E), 11.8 m, red coralline algae Amphiora anceps, 13 May 2008, coll. L.E. Hughes, MV Jenny ( MI NFK 10 ); 33 specimens, AM P.81456, Cathedral Rock , (29°00'13"S 167°56'57"E), 10.5 m, red algae from rock, 13 May 2008, coll. R. T . Springthorpe , MV Jenny ( MI NFK 9 ); 14 specimens, AM P.81441, Duncombe Bay , (29°03'30"S 167°57'13"E), 15 m, broad leaf brown algae on stones, algae and polychaete tubes, 13 May 2008, coll. J.K. Lowry, MV Jenny ( MI NFK 13 ); 10 specimens, AM P.81452, Duncombe Bay (29°03'30"S 167°57'13"E), 16 m, rock wall with encrusting bryozoans, algae, coral, airlift on scuba, 13 May 2008, coll. R. T . Springthorpe , MV Jenny ( MI NFK 18 ); 1 male, 1 female, 2 juvenile, AM P.81463, Duncombe Bay (29°03'30"S 167°57'13"E), 16 m, encrusting bryozoans, algae, coral on rock wall, 13 May 2008, coll. R. T . Springthorpe , MV Jenny ( MI NFK 16 ); 1 male, 5 females, AM P.81429, Duncombe Bay (29°03'30"S 167°57'13"E), 15 m, algae on rocks, including polychaete with white and yellow tubes, 13 May 2008, coll. J.K. Lowry, MV Jenny ( MI NFK 14 ); 1 male, AM P.81431, ' The Wall' dive site, Nepean Island (29°04'18"S 167°57'41"E), 17 m, green calcareous algae Halimeda sp. , 15 May 2008, coll. J.K. Lowry, MV Jenny ( MI NFK 45 ); 13 specimens, AM P.81442, ' The Wall' dive site, Nepean Island (29° 04' 18"S 167°57'41"E), 10 m, tufted red and brown algae, 15 May 2008, coll. J.K. Lowry, MV Jenny ( MI NFK 43 ); 1 male, 5 juveniles, AM P.81445, ' The Wall' dive site, Nepean Island (29°04'18"S 167°57'41"E), 17 m, green calcareous algae Halimeda sp. , 15 May 2008, coll. J.K. Lowry, MV Jenny ( MI NFK 45 ); 7 females, AM P.81450, ' The Wall' dive site, Nepean Island (29°04'18"S 167°57'41"E), 9.6 m, red coralline algae Amphiora anceps, 15 May 2008, coll. L.E. Hughes, MV Jenny ( MI NFK 49 ); 11 specimens, AM P.81457, east of Sail Rock , Phillip Island (29°06'55"S 167°57'31"E), 10.6 m, red algae with encrusting fauna, 14 May 2008, coll. L.E. Hughes, MV Jenny ( MI NFK 23 ); 1 male, AM P.81460, east of Sail Rock , Phillip Island (29°06'55"S 167°57'31"E), 13.3 m, brown algae cf Padina sp. , 14 May 2008, coll. L.E. Hughes, MV Jenny ( MI NFK 25 ); 1 male, 1 female, AM P.81455, east of Sail Rock , Phillip Island (29°06'55"S 167°57'31"E), 13 m, low turfing brown algae, 14 May 2008, coll. L.E. Hughes, MV Jenny ( MI NFK 26 ); 1 male, 3 females, AM P.81439, east of Sail Rock , Phillip Island (29°06'55"S 167°57'31"E), 13 m, under stones,, airlift on scuba, 14 May 2008, coll. R. T . Springthorpe , MV Jenny ( MI NFK 22 ); 17 specimens, AM P.81449, Cow Bay , Phillip Island (29°00'10"S 167° 57'03"E), 12 m, red algae, 14 May 2008, coll. J.K. Lowry, MV Jenny ( MI NFK 34 ); 1 male, 1 female, AM P.81430, Cow Bay , Phillip Island (29°00'10"S 167° 57'03"E), 12 m, red and brown algae on rocks, 14 May 2008, coll. L.E. Hughes, MV Jenny ( MI NFK 32 ); 2 males, 5 females, AM P.81433, Cow Bay , Phillip Island (29°00'10"S 167°57'03"E), 14 m, brown algae, 14 May 2008, coll. L.E. Hughes, MV Jenny ( MI NFK 29 ) .

Remarks. Material examined shows two forms in the small male specimens, those with a well developed sinus on the male gnathopod 2 posterior margin and those without a sinus. These two phenotypes co-occur in samples and all other characters fit the description of M. nananui (sensu stricto). Ledoyer 1984 also described a non-sinusoidal gnathopod form of M. nananui from New Caledonia and the presence of this phenotype at nearby Norfolk Island supports the inclusion of this material.

Mallacoota nananui was the most frequently sampled benthic amphipod from Norfolk Island during the 2008 collecting expedition.

Distribution. Australia. Queensland: Heron Island; One Tree Island. Tasman Sea: Norfolk Island (current study), Lord Howe Island ( Lowry & Springthorpe 2005). Fiji: Viti Levu ( Myers 1985). New Caledonia. I’ilot Mai-

Figures

FIGURE 34. Mallacoota nananui Myers, 1985, male, 7.5 mm, AM P.85222, Cathedral Rock, Norfolk Island.

FIGURE 36. Mallacoota nananui Myers, 1985, male, 8.8 mm, AM P.85223, Emily Bay, Norfolk Island.