Leeuwinella, Hughes, Lauren E., 2015

Hughes, Lauren E., 2015, Maeridae from the Indo-Pacific: Elasmopus, Leeuwinella gen. nov., Maeropsis, Pseudelasmopus and Quadrimaera (Amphipoda: Crustacea), Zootaxa 4059 (2), pp. 201-256 : 218-219

Leeuwinella gen. nov.

Diagnosis. Head anteroventral corner with notch; eyes ovate. Antenna 1 accessory flagellum minute, with around 3-article, not extending beyond flagellum article 2. Mandibular molar, well developed triturative; palp article 1 without acutely produced distal corner; article 2 longer than article 3; article 3 strongly falcate, anterodistal margin concave, with setal comb and apical setae. Maxilla 1 inner plate with mainly apical robust setae. Gnathopod 1 coxa anteroventral corner acutely produced, posteroventral corner with notch; propodus palm subacute. Gnathopod 2 (?sexually dimorphic) female propodus symmetrical; palm angle subacute (greater than 90°); dactylus anterior margin with 1 seta. Pereopod 4 coxa with posterodistal lobe. Pereopods 5–7 basis weakly expanded; dactylus simple. Pereonite 7 with dorsal carinae. Pleonites 1–3 with dorsal carinae. Urosomites 1–3 dorsally smooth. Epimera 2–3 ventral margins distally serrate. Uropod 3 rami unequal in length; inner ramus half length of outer ramus; outer ramus 1 articulate, length 1.8× peduncle, length more than 2.5× width. Telson moderately cleft (50%), lobes tapering, with apical robust setae.

Type species. Leeuwinella mistakensis sp. nov., by present designation and monotypy; gender feminine. Etymology. Named after Leeuwin, the Dutch exploration vessel, meaning lioness, which is most fitting for a genus known only from a female specimen.

Remarks. Leeuwinella gen. nov. is most closely aligned to Elasmopus , Hoho Lowry & Fenwick, 1983 and Mallacoota J.L. Barnard, 1972 based on the minute accessory flagellum, presence of dorsal carinae, mandibular palp with short article 1 not distally produced, pereopods 5–7 with expanded basis and simple dactylus. The single dorsal carina on the pleonites, the long, apically truncate, uropod 3 outer ramus and reduced inner ramus is similar to Nuuanuidae Lowry & Myers, 2013 , althoughthe lack of setae on the urosomite 2 and pereopods 5–7 basis weakly expanded, place this genus outside the Nuuanuidae .