Identification key for Amage species from Japanese waters

1. 11 or12thoracic uncinigers……………………………………………………………………………2

– 14 thoracic uncinigers ……………………………………………… Amage cf. adspersa (Grube, 1863)

2. 11 thoracic uncinigers…………………………………………………………………………………3

– 12 thoracic uncinigers…………………………………………………………………………………6

3. Anterior notopodia with notochaetae …………………………………………………………………4

– Anterior notopodia lacking notochaetae ……………………………… Amage scutata Moore, 1923

4. Thoracic notopodia with ventral cirri …………………………………………………………………5

– Thoracic notopodia lacking ventral cirri ………… Amage ehlersi Reuscher, Fiege & Imajima, 2015

5. 8 abdominal uncinigers …………………………………………… Amage auricula Malmgren, 1866

– 12 abdominal uncinigers …………………………………………… Amage delus (Chamberlin, 1919)

6. 3 pairs of branchiae; anterior neuropodia conspicuously elongated; 13 abdominal uncinigers …………………………………………………… Amage longitorus Reuscher,Fiege&Imajima,2015

– 4 pairs of branchiae; anterior neuropodia not conspicuously elongated; 11 abdominal uncinigers ……………………………………………………………………………… Amage imajimai sp. nov.