Leucothoe barana Thomas & Klebba, 2007

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

Leucothoe barana Thomas & Klebba, 2007

Figs 14 , 23 G

Leucothoe barana Thomas & Klebba, 2007: 5–10, figs 1–3, 7 A, B; LeCroy 2011: 628, fig. 519; White 2011: 27, 28, fig. 4.

Material examined.

Panama • 2–5 mm • 1 ♂, 1 ♀; Bocas del Toro, Crawl Cay ; 9.2508°N, 82.1311°W; depth 0–2 m; commensal in Tedania sponge; 1 Aug 2005; J. D. Thomas leg.; GCRL 6685 • 1 ♀; Bocas del Toro, Swan Caye ; 9.4533°N, 82.2148°W; depth 3 m; commensal in orange sponge; 04 Aug 2005; T. Haney leg.; GCRL 6686 • 5 ♂, 4 ♀, 1 juvenile; Bocas del Toro, STRI Point ; depth 15 m; among coral rubble and Halimeda ; 06 Aug 2005; S. DeGrave leg.; GCRL 6687 • 2 ♀; Bocas del Toro, Cayo Solarte ; 9.3044°N, 82.1316°W; depth 1.5 m; among sponges, coral rubble, and sand; 07 Aug 2005; R. Collin, M. Faust, E. Gaiser, S. LeCroy, S. Richardson, M. Sorensen leg.; GCRL 6688 • 7 ♂, 6 ♀, 9 juveniles; Bocas del Toro, Laboratory Dock ; 9.3512°N, 82.2570°W; depth 0.5 m; mangrove sponge; 08 Aug 2005; T. A. Haney leg.; GCRL 6689 • 2 ♂; Bocas del Toro, STRI Point ; 9.3487°N, 82.2626°W; depth 12 m; commensal in loggerhead sponge; 06 Aug 2021; K. N. White leg.; USNM 1762949 • 2 ♀; Bocas del Toro, Drago ; 9.4181°N, 82.3375°W; depth 2–3 m; among coral rubble; 09 Aug 2021; K. N. White leg.; USNM 1762950 • 1 ♀, 1 juvenile; Bocas del Toro, Drago ; 9.4134°N, 82.3334°W; depth 1–3 m; among sponges and coral rubble; 23 June 2023; K. N. White leg.; USNM 1762951 • 1 ♀, 1 juvenile; Bocas del Toro, Punta Caracol ; depth 1–2 m; commensal in Lissodendoryx columbiensis ; 24 June 2023; K. N. White leg.; USNM 1762952 .

Diagnosis.

Head anterodistal margin quadrate with cusp; ventral keel projected with cusp. Coxae 1–4 anterodistal and / or ventral margins serrate; coxa 4 posterior margin tapered. Gnathopod 1 basis anterior and posterior margins setose; carpus with two facial setae; propodus palm dentate; dactylus reaching greater than 0.2 × propodus length. Gnathopod 2 basis anterior margin lined with setae; carpus distally truncate; propodus mediofacial setal row reaching 0.7 × propodus length, secondary mediofacial row with six setae, palm with several tubercles. Epimeron 3 posteroventral corner narrowly rounded.

Distribution.

USA: Florida Keys; Belize: Pelican Cays ( Thomas and Klebba 2007); 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 this species with the exception of coxa 4 having a smooth anterior margin (vs having two sharp cusps in original description). Living specimens are translucent purple in color with a red eye.

Figures

Figure 14. Leucothoe barana, female, 5.5 mm, gnathopod 1 medial, head, epimeron 3, coxa 4, gnathopod 2 medial. 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.