Bemlos australis ( Haswell, 1879 )

Myers, Alan A., 2009, Aoridae *, Zootaxa 2260 (1), pp. 220-278 : 231-234

Bemlos australis ( Haswell, 1879)

( Figs 9 , 10 )

Microdeuteropus (sic) australis Haswell, 1879: 271 , pl. 11, fig. 5.

Microdeutopus australis . — Haswell, 1882: 263.

Lemboides australis . — Stebbing, 1899: 350. — Stebbing, 1906: 601.

Bemlos australis . — Myers, 1988a: 188. — Myers, 1988b: 278, figs 11–13. — Lowry & Stoddart, 2003: 67 (catalogue).

Material examined. 1 male, AM P70599 (QLD 1622) ; 2 males, 4 females, AM P70751 (QLD 1645) ; 1 male, 1 female, AM P70841 (QLD 1666) ; 1 male, 1 female, AM P70912 (QLD 1672) , 1 male, AM P70934 (QLD 1688) ; 1 male, 1 female, AM P71335 (QLD 1778); 7 unsexed, AM P75576 (QLD 1900); many unsexed, AM P75577 (QLD 1922) .

Type locality. Port Jackson , New South Wales, Australia (~ 33°52'S 151°13'E) .

Description. Based on male, 4.0 mm, AM P70751.

Head. Head lateral cephalic lobes apically truncate. Antenna 1 flagellum with 20 or less articles; accessory flagellum multiarticulate. Antenna 2 with few long setae. Lower lip with fine setae and stout setae. Maxilla 1 inner plate with 1 long pectinate apical seta. Mandible, palp article 3 longer than 2, posterior margin straight, with setae of two distinct lengths, long setae and an under-story of much shorter regularly spaced setae.

Pereon. Pereonites without sternal spines. Gnathopod 1 enlarged in males only; coxa weakly produced anterodistally, rounded; basis robust, twice as long as broad, posterodistal margin with one long seta; ischium anterior margin without flange, posterior margin with few setae; merus not greatly elongated, fused along its entire length with carpus, posterior margin with few setae without posterodistal spine; carpus one and one half length of propodus, with few setae, anterior margin with no spine, without an oblique row of long setae on inner face, posterior margin without spines; propodus anterior margin moderately setiferous, posterior margin straight, palm delimited from posterior margin, margin forming a broad excavate sinus, palm defined by strong posterodistal spine, without robust seta defining palm, with spine near base of dactylus, with subtriangular, apically subacute spine; dactylus less than half length of propodus, overlapping palm. Gnathopod 2 subchelate; basis anterodistal margin with flange, posterodistal margin without robust setae; with few setae along length of basis; carpus and propodus subequal in length, with short sparse setae; propodus with short dense setae, without robust seta or spine defining palm. Pereopod 3 without brush of long setae on merus. Pereopod 6 basis not produced posterodistally. Pereopod 7 more than 125% length of pereopod 6.

Pleon. Epimeron 3 posterodistal margin rounded. Uropod 1 rami subequal, peduncle much longer than broad, distoventral spine shorter than peduncle. Uropod 2 biramous; peduncle with distoventral spine equal in length with peduncle. Uropod 3 biramous, rami subequal, inner ramus less than twice length of peduncle. Telson with distal fine setae only.

Female (sexually dimorphic characters). Based on female, 4.2 mm, AM P70751. Gnathopod 1 carpus subequal in length with propodus; propodus palm defined by rounded corner, with robust seta defining palm; dactylus much more than half length of propodus. Gnathopod 2 carpus shorter than propodus; propodus with robust seta defining palm.

Habitat. Among Posidonia , algae, in coral rubble, fine sands, on a breakwater.

Remarks. This species resembles B. triangulum Myers, 1988b , in male gnathopod 1 having the carpus longer than the propodus. It differs from that species however in its larger size, male gnathopod 1 with nonacute coxa, and uropod 2 with well developed distoventral spine.

Distribution. Australia. Queensland: Lizard Island ( Myers 1988b; current study). New South Wales: Port Jackson ( Haswell 1879), Twofold Bay ( Myers 1988b).

Figures

FIGURE 9. Bemlos australis (Haswell, 1879), male, 4.0 mm, AM P70912, Cobia Hole, Lizard Island, Great Barrier Reef.

FIGURE 10. Bemlos australis (Haswell, 1879), male 4.0 mm, female, 4.2 mm, AM P70912, Cobia Hole, Lizard Island, Great Barrier Reef.