Ampithoe maxillissius Ledoyer, 1984

Peart, R. A. & Hughes, L. E., 2013, Ampithoid amphipods from the South Pacific: Papua New Guinea, French Polynesia and New Caledonia, Journal of Natural History (J. Nat. Hist.) 48 (13 - 14), pp. 739-861 : 751-756

Ampithoe maxillissius Ledoyer, 1984

( Figures 9–12 )

Ampithoe maxillissius Ledoyer, 1984, pp. 11–13 , fig. 3. Lowry, 2007, p. 282 (checklist).

Type locality

Recif Abore, New Caledonia.

Material examined

Austral Isles: Male, 4 mm, dissected, three slides, AM P.82709, reef platform in front of Mataura, Tubuai (23 ◦ 20.75 ′ S, 149 ◦ 29.25 ′ W), 1.5 m, 12 August 1991, coll. J.K. Lowry (FRP-34); female, 4 mm, dissected, one slide, AM P.82710, reef platform in front of Mataura, Tubuai (23 ◦ 20.75 ′ S, 149 ◦ 29.25 ′ W), 1.5 m, 12 August 1991, coll. J.K. Lowry (FRP-34); male AM P.82711, reef platform in front of Mataura, Tubuai (23 ◦ 20.75 ′ S, 149 ◦ 29.25 ′ W), 1.5 m, 12 August 1991, coll. J.K. Lowry (FRP-34); several specimens, AM P.82712, reef platform in front of Mataura, Tubuai (23 ◦ 20.75 ′ S, 149 ◦ 29.25 ′ W), 1.5 m, 12 August 1991, coll. J.K. Lowry (FRP-34); many specimens, AM P.82713, reef platform in front of Mataura, Tubuai (23 ◦ 20 ′ 45 ′′ S, 149 ◦ 29 ′ 15 ′′′′ W), 0.5–2 m, calcareous alga mixed with bottle brush red alga, 12 August 1991, coll. J.K. Lowry (FRP-33); many specimens, AM P.47062, lagoon in front of Puatai Rock, Avera, Rurutu (22 ◦ 28 ′ 30 ′′ S, 151 ◦ 21 ′ 23 ′′′′ W), 0.5 m, sand, algae and mussels on shallow reef platform, 10 August 1991, coll. J.K. Lowry (FRP-16); many specimens, AM P.47064, lagoon in front of Puatai Rock, Avera, Rurutu (22 ◦ 28 ′ 30 ′′ S, 151 ◦ 21 ′ 23 ′′′′ W), 1 m, inside reef platform, brown algae cf Sargassum sp. , 10 August 1991, coll. J.K. Lowry (FRP-18); five specimens, AM P.42668, Rubble Island, Baie de Matavai, Tahiti (17 ◦ 30 ′ 06 ′′ S, 149 ◦ 29 ′ 51 ′′′′ W), 3 m, sand, rubble with close cropped algae and brown alga cf Padina sp. , 28 August 1991, coll. J.K. Lowry and H. Treuil (FRP-78).

Remarks

The male individuals have pereopod 5 with a distinctive swollen basis, merus and carpus. This character was previously unknown for A. maxillissius Ledoyer, 1984 where original illustrations from New Caledonia included only a female pereopod 5. The pereopod 5 of Austral Isles female specimens are slender and consistent with those originally illustrated. Material examined includes a single aberrant male with gnathopod 1 propodus palm having four robust setae where all other individuals have a single robust seta ( Figure 10 ; AM P.82709).

Habitat

Found on calcareous, bottle-brush red algae.

Distribution

Austral Isles, French Polynesia (current study); New Caledonia ( Ledoyer 1984).

Figures

Figure 9. Ampithoe maxillissius Ledoyer, 1984, male 4 mm, AM P.82709; female 4 mm, AM P.82710, Austral Isles.

Figure 10. Ampithoe maxillissius Ledoyer, 1984, male 4 mm, AM P.82709; female 4 mm, AM P.82710, Austral Isles. Scale bars 0.2 mm.

Figure 11. Ampithoe maxillissius Ledoyer, 1984, male 4 mm, AM P.82709; female 4 mm, AM P.82710, Austral Isles. Scale bars 0.2 mm.

Figure 12. Ampithoe maxillissius Ledoyer, 1984, male 4 mm, AM P.82709; female 4 mm, AM P.82710, Austral Isles. Scale bars 0.2 mm.