Leucothoe bova, White & Thomas, 2009

White, Kristine N. & Thomas, James Darwin, 2009, Leucothoidae *, Zootaxa 2260 (1), pp. 494-555 : 501-505

Leucothoe bova sp. nov.

( Figs 5 , 6 )

Type material. Holotype, male, 6.0 mm, AM P 80175, Pioneer Bay (~ 18°36'S 146°29'E), Haliclona sp. sponge, 5 m, K. N. Klebba, 24 May 2004 ( JDT / OPH 24 ) . Paratype, female, 5.4 mm, AM P 80176, same station data .

Type locality. Pioneer Bay , Orpheus Island, Queensland, Australia (~ 18°36’S 146°28’E) .

Etymology. After the Latin ‘ bova ’, meaning ‘swelling of the legs’ and referring to the expanded gnathopod 1 basis in both males and females.

Description. Based on holotype, male, 6.0 mm, AM P80175.

Head. Head length less than pereonite 1+2, anterior margin rounded, without serrations or teeth, anterodistal margin rounded without cusp, ventral cephalic keel rounded, rostrum small to medium; eyes with 10 or more ocelli, round. Antenna 1 0.2 x body length; flagellum 6-articulate, peduncle width less than 2 x article 2. Antenna 2 0.2 x body length, shorter than antenna 1; flagellum 4-articulate. Mandibles lacking molars; palp 3-articulate, ratio of articles 1 – 3, 1.0:2.4:0.7, article 2 with 5 – 6 distal setae, article 3 with 2 distal setae; incisors strongly dentate; left mandible lacinia mobilis large, strongly toothed, with 9 accessory setae, right mandible lacinia mobilis small, with 9 accessory setae. Upper lip asymmetrically lobate, anterior margin setose. Lower lip inner lobes fused, strongly setose; outer lobes with moderate gape, anterior margins continually setose. Maxilla 1 palp 2-articulate with 4 distal setae; outer plate with 8 distal spines and 5 distal setae. Maxilla 2 inner plate with 6 robust distal setae; outer plate with 3 robust and 10 thin distal setae. Maxilliped inner plates fused, distal margin with v-shaped indentation, with short spines and setae; outer plate smooth, reduced, reaching much less than half of palp article 1, with 10 distal setae and 1 distal spine; palp 4- articulate, article 4 wide, slightly recurved.

Pereon. Coxae 1–4 relative widths 1.0:1.1:0.9:1.1. Gnathopod 1 coxa smooth, bare, anterodistal corner produced, broadly rounded, distal margin rounded, posterior margin excavate, facial setae absent; basis widened anteroproximally and posterodistally, anterior margin with 6 spine-setae, posterior margin bare; ischium bare; carpus and propodus narrow, distally attenuated; carpus length 6.6 x width, proximal margin smooth, distal margin setose; propodus straight, palm smooth with 14 distal setae; dactylus smooth with 2 proximal setae, reaching 0.2 x propodus length. Gnathopod 2 coxa length 0.7 x width, slightly wider than coxa 3, smooth, bare, anterodistally rounded, distal margin evenly rounded, posterior margin straight, facial setae absent; basis constricted proximally, without tubercles or serrations, anterior margin with 5 short setae, posterior margin bare; ischium with 1 posterodistal seta; carpus 0.3 x propodus length, straight, distally tapered, anterior margin serrate; propodus posterior margin without spines/serrations, with 2 mediofacial setal rows, primary mediofacial setal row clustered below midline, reaching 0.6 x propodus length, secondary mediofacial setal row with cluster of 8 setae, cluster of 21 submarginal setae, palm convex with 4 minor projections; dactylus curved, proximal margin smooth, anterior margin distally subacute, reaching 0.6 x propodus length. Pereopod 3 coxa length subequal to width; anterodistal corner over-riding distal face of coxa 2 and extending below it, smooth, bare, anterior margin produced anterodistally, distal margin straight, posterior margin straight, facial setae absent. Pereopod 4 coxa smooth, bare, anterior margin evenly rounded, distal margin evenly rounded, posterior margin straight, facial setae absent. Pereopods 5–7 coxa facial setae absent; basis width length ratios 1:1.3, 1:1.4, 1:1.4. Pereopods 5– 6 basis posterior margins smooth, bare. Pereopod 7 posterior margin smooth, setose.

Pleon. Epimera 1+3 bare. Epimeron 2 with 4 ventral setae. Epimeron 3 posteroventral margin broadly rounded. Uropods 1–3 relative lengths 1.0:0.7:0.7. Uropod 1 peduncle 1.3 x inner ramus length; outer and inner ramus subequal in length. Uropod 2 peduncle subequal in length with inner ramus; inner ramus with robust setae, outer ramus with 1 robust seta. Uropod 3 peduncle 1.6 x inner ramus length. Uropods 2–3 outer ramus subequal to inner ramus length. Uropod 1+3 inner and outer ramus lined with short marginal setae, with robust setae. Telson 1.8 x longer than wide, apex tridentate.

Female (sexually dimorphic characters). Based on paratype, female, 5.4 mm, AM P 80176. Gnathopod 1 basis widened proximally, posterior margin with 13 setae; carpus with shorter distal setae. Gnathopod 2 propodus mediofacial and submarginal setal rows with fewer setae, palm with less prominent projections; carpus distal margin undulating; dactylus anterior margin distally obtuse .

Habitat. In a species of the encrusting sponge Haliclona Grant, 1836 , on patch reefs.

Remarks. Leucothoe bova sp. nov. is distinct in its short antennae, large eyes, widened mandibular palp article 2, expanded gnathopod 1 basis, long distal setae on gnathopod 1 carpus and extensive submarginal setae on gnathopod 2 propodus. The posterior setae on gnathopod 1 basis is shared with females of Leucothoe saron Thomas & Klebba, 2007 , Leucothoe ubouhu Thomas & Klebba, 2007 and Leucothoe undulata sp. nov. The distal setae on gnathopod 1 carpus is similar to Leucothoe flammosa Thomas & Klebba, 2007 , which inhabits bivalve molluscs. Leucothoe bova is similar to L. ashleyae , females of L. assimilis , Leucothoella banwarthii Schellenberg, 1928 , Leucothoe barana Thomas & Klebba, 2007 , Leucothoe kensleyi Thomas & Klebba, 2006 , L. ubouhu , L laevipalma sp. nov., L. makrommatos sp. nov., L. odontiskos sp. nov. and L. undulata in its gnathopod 2 propodus secondary mediofacial setal row.

Distribution. Australia. Queensland: Orpheus Island (current study).

Figures

FIGURE 5. Leucothoe bova sp. nov., holotype, male, 6.0 mm, AM P80175; paratype, female, 5.40 mm, AM P80176 (JDT/OPH-24), Pioneer Bay, Orpheus Island, Great Barrier Reef.

FIGURE 6. Leucothoe bova sp. nov., holotype, male, 6.0 mm, AM P80175; paratype, female, 5.40 mm, AM P80176 (JDT/OPH-24), Pioneer Bay, Orpheus Island, Great Barrier Reef.