Kerguelenia kawatiri, Lowry & Stoddart, 2010

Lowry, J. K. & Stoddart, H. E., 2010, Kergueleniidae fam. nov. (Crustacea: Amphipoda: Lysianassoidea) in Australian waters, Zootaxa 2564 (1), pp. 1-30 : 21-22

Kerguelenia kawatiri sp. nov.

( Figs 19–21 )

Type material. HOLOTYPE, female, 3.5 mm, AM P.69010, east of Cape Naturaliste , Tasmania, Australia, 40°45.94’S 149°01.62’E to 40°46.54’S 149°00.27’E, 2400–2500 m, mud and clay, 10 December 1986, R. T. Springthorpe, RV Franklin stn FR1086-04.

Type locality. East of Cape Naturaliste , Tasmania, Australia, 40°45.94’S 149°01.62’E to 40°46.54’S 149°00.27’E, 2400–2500 m depth.

Etymology. Named for the steamship Kawatiri , wrecked in 1907 while trying to enter Macquarie Harbour through Hells Gates in Tasmania.

Diagnostic description. Antenna 1 peduncular article 1 not or only slightly produced dorsodistally. Mandible incisor absent; left lacinia mobilis absent; accessory spine row absent; molar absent. Maxilla 1 outer plate with 5 setal-teeth, setal-teeth without cusps; palp 2-articulate. Maxilliped palp article 2 longer than broad, length 1.8 x breadth. Gnathopod 1 basis margins subparallel; ischium very long, length 4 x breadth; carpus very long, length 4.3 x breadth, subequal to (1 x) propodus; propodus tapered distally, length 5 x breadth. Pereopods 3 and 4 propodus with short distal locking seta. Pereopod 5 basis linear, without posteroventral lobe; merus moderately expanded posteriorly. Pereopod 7 basis with posteroventral lobe extending about halfway along merus; merus posteroventral lobe extending more than halfway along, but not beyond, carpus. Pleonite 3 without dorsodistal boss. Epimeron 3 posteroventral corner subquadrate. Uropod 1 rami without robust setae. Uropod 3 uniramous; outer ramus 2-articulate. Telson shorter than broad, length about 0.9 x breadth.

Remarks. Kerguelenia kawatiri belongs to a group of species ( K. antarctica , K. compacta and K. macropoda ) in which the basis of pereopod 5 is linear and uropod 3 is uniramous. It can be distinguished from K. antarctica by the absence of any dorsodistal production on peduncular article 1 of antenna 1; and from the other two species by the presence of a minute second article on the ramus of uropod 3.

The holotype female has an oostegite on pereopod 5 only.

Distribution. South-eastern Australia, in 2400–2500 m depth.

Figures

FIGURE 19. Kerguelenia kawatiri sp. nov. Holotype female, AM P.69010, east of Cape Naturaliste, Tasmania.

FIGURE 20. Kerguelenia kawatiri sp. nov. Holotype female, AM P.69010, east of Cape Naturaliste, Tasmania. Scales for MD, MX1, MX2, U3, T represent 0.05 mm; remainder represent 0.1 mm.

FIGURE 21. Kerguelenia kawatiri sp. nov. Holotype female, AM P.69010, east of Cape Naturaliste, Tasmania. Scales represent 0.2 mm.