Australian Amphipoda: Ampeliscidae

J.K. Lowry, P.B Berents & R.T. Springthorpe

Ampelisca jingera Lowry & Poore

Ampelisca jingera Lowry & Poore, 1985: 278, figs 15-16.

Type material. HOLOTYPE: 7.5 mm, AM P34135. PARATYPES: 3 specimens, AM P34136; 3 specimens, NMV J1563.

Type locality. Off St. Helens Point, Tasmania (41º 20.6'S 148º 30'E), fine clayey sand, 110 m depth.

Description. Based on Lowry & Poore, 1985: 278, figs 15-16. Head longer than deep; rostrum absent; abutting antenna 1; lateral cephalic lobe absent; anteroventral margin oblique; eyes present, two pairs with cuticular lenses. Antenna 1 short, slightly longer than peduncle of antenna 2; peduncular article 2 long (about 1.5 to 2.5 x length of article 1). Mandible palp article 2 tapering distally.

Peraeon. Coxae 1 to 3 with small posteroventral hooks on coxae 1 to 3. Gnathopod 1 simple; propodus palm absent; coxa anterior margin slightly concave, anteroventral corner not produced. Peraeopods 5 and 6 carpus long, about 3 x as long as broad, slightly or not produced along posterior margin of propodus. Peraeopod 7 basis expanded posteriorly, posterior margin oblique, ventral margin densely setose, free anterior margin lacking setae near junction with ischium; ischium longer than merus (slightly); merus anterior lobe slightly produced along anterior margin of carpus, merus posterior lobe absent; carpus anterior lobe absent, short (about as long as broad); propodus subrectangular; dactylus broad at base, tapering distally.

Pleon. Epimeron 3 posteroventral margin oblique, straight, corner with cusp, corner acute. Urosomite 1 without carina. Uropod 2 inner ramus with two dorsal rows of robust setae; outer ramus with a large subterminal robust seta. Uropod 3 rami, inner margins smooth proximally; outer ramus lanceolate. Telson longer than broad, deeply cleft, distal margin subacute, with mid-dorsal robust setae, inner margin without robust setae along inner margin, distal margin with subapical setae.

Habitat. Marine; muddy sand bottoms.

Depth zone. Continental shelf (30 to 200 m) to Continental slope (200 to 1000 m).

Distribution. New South Wales: east of Long Reef; east of Bondi; Botany Bay; north-east of Wollongong (Lowry & Poore, 1985). Victoria: Bass Strait (Lowry & Poore, 1985). Tasmania: off St. Helens Point (Lowry & Poore, 1985).

Geographic areas. South-eastern Australia.

Cite this publication as: 'J.K. Lowry, P.B Berents & R.T. Springthorpe (2000 onwards). Australian Amphipoda: Ampeliscidae Descriptions, Illustrations, Identification and Information Retrieval. Version: 21st September 2000. https://crustacea.net'.