Leucothoe tunica White, 2019

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

Leucothoe tunica White, 2019

Figs 19 , 24 D

Leucothoe n. sp. C: Thomas and Klebba 2007: 40 fig. 25 C.

Leucothoe n. sp. B: Thomas and Klebba 2007: 41, tab. 4 (not Leucothoe n. sp. B: Thomas and Klebba 2007: 40, fig. 25 B).

Leucothoe sp. B: LeCroy 2011: 636, fig. 516.

Leucothoe tunica White, 2019: 2–5, figs 1, 2.

Material examined.

Panama • 2–5.9 mm • 1 ♂, 2 ♀; Bocas del Toro, Swan Caye ; 9.4533°N, 82.2983°W; depth 3 m; commensal in orange sponge; 4 Aug 2005; M. Faust, E. Gaiser, T. Haney, S. Richardson, M. Sorenson leg.; GCRL 6693 • 1 ♀; Bocas del Toro, Juan Point ; 9.3015°N, 82.2940°W; depth 10 m; among coral rubble; 7 Aug 2021; K. N. White leg.; USNM 1762965 • 2 ♂, 5 ♀, 2 juveniles; Bocas del Toro, Drago ; 9.4131°N, 82.3334°W; depth 1–3 m; among sponges and coral rubble; 23 June 2023; K. N. White leg.; USNM 1762966 • 1 ♂; Bocas del Toro, Punta Caracol ; depth 1–2 m; among Halimeda ; 24 June 2023; K. N. White leg.; USNM 1762967 • 1 ♀; Bocas del Toro, Crawl Caye ; 9.2459°N; 82.1369°W; depth 1–4 m; among coral rubble; 25 June 2023; K. N. White leg.; USNM 1762968 .

Diagnosis.

Head anterior margin rounded; ventral keel rounded. Gnathopod 1 basis anterior margin with two short setae; carpus proximal margin dentate, with two facial setae; propodus palm dentate, with distal setae; dactylus reaching greater than 0.2 × propodus length. Gnathopod 2 basis anterior margin with several short setae; carpus distally rounded, anterior margin dentate; propodus primary mediofacial setal row above midline, slightly displaced, reaching 0.7 × propodus length, secondary row with one seta, palm with several tubercles, one row of submarginal setae present. Coxa 4 smooth, posterior margin weakly concave. Epimeron 3 posteroventral corner subquadrate.

Distribution.

USA: Tampa Bay and Tarpon Springs, Florida ( White 2019), south Florida to the Florida Keys ( Thomas and Klebba 2007), Apalachee Bay, Florida ( LeCroy 2011), Mobile Bay, Alabama ( LeCroy 2011), 7 ½ Fathom Reef, Texas ( LeCroy 2011), and South Carolina ( LeCroy 2011); Belize: Carrie Bow Cay ( Thomas and Klebba 2007); Panama, Bocas del Toro ( White 2011; this study).

Ecology and remarks.

This species occurs among sponges, Halimeda , and coral rubble at depths of 1– 11 m. White (2019) reported this species as commensal in several species of sponges, ascidians at depths to 15 m. Panamanian specimens agree closely with the original description, with the exception of the following: gnathopod 1 basis anterior margin with 2 setae (vs 4–6 setae), posterior margin bare (vs 2–5 setae); a second mediofacial row of 1–3 setae on gnathopod 2 propodus (vs lacking) and a weakly concave posterior margin on coxa 4 (vs tapered). Living specimens are translucent ivory to pink in color.

Figures

Figure 19. Leucothoe tunica, male, 5.2 mm, head, coxae 1–4, epimeron 3, gnathopod 1 medial, gnathopod 2 medial. Scale bars: 0.5 mm.

Figure 24. Photographs of living specimens unless noted. A. Leucothoe kensleyi; B. Leucothoe laurensi; C. Leucothoe machidai (ethanol-preserved specimen); D. Leucothoe tunica (ethanol-preserved specimen); E. Leucothoe ubouhu; F. Leucothoe wuriti. Scale bars: 1.0 mm.