Neastacilla Tattersall, 1921 redefined, with eight new species from Australia (Crustacea: Isopoda: Arcturidae)
Author
King, R. A.
text
Memoirs of Museum Victoria
2003
2003-12-31
60
2
371
416
https://museumsvictoria.com.au/collections-research/journals/memoirs-of-museum-victoria/volume-60-issue-2-2003/pages-371-416/
journal article
10.24199/j.mmv.2003.60.29
1447-2554
12210258
Neastacilla inaequispinosa
(Guiler)
Figures 7–8
Astacilla inaequispinos
a
Guiler, 1949: 49–53
, figs 3, 4.—
Guiler, 1952: 24
.—
Monod, 1970: 1139
.
Astacilla unicornis
Guiler, 1949: 53–55
, fig. 5.—
Guiler, 1952: 24
.—
Monod, 1970: 1139–1140
.
Astacilla derwenti
Guiler, 1949: 56–57
, fig. 6.—
Guiler, 1952: 24
.—
Monod, 1970: 1139–1140
.
Astacilla oculata
Guiler, 1949: 59–61
, fig. 7.—
Guiler, 1952: 24
.—
Monod, 1970: 1139–1140
.
Neastacilla inaequispinosa
.—
Poore et al., 2002: 259
.
Material examined
.
Syntypes
of
Astacilla inaequispinosa
Guiler, 1949
. Tas., N end of D´Entrecasteaux Channel, TMG76a (male), TMG76b (
1 specimen
).
Holotype
of
Astacilla derwenti
Guiler, 1949
.
Tas., N
end of D´Entrecasteaux Channel,
TM
(not registered).
Holotype
of
Astacilla oculata
Guiler, 1949
.
Tas., N
end of D´Entrecasteaux Channel,
TM
(not registered).
Holotype
of
Astacilla unicornis
Guiler, 1949
.
Tas., N
end of D´Entrecasteaux Channel,
TM
(not registered).
Australia
:
Vic.
Port Phillip Bay
,
38º17.6’S
,
144º42.3’E
,
17 m
,
4 Mar 1991
,
NMV
J39217
(
1 female
,
6.4 mm
),
NMV
J40691
(male,
8 mm
)
NMV
J40695
(
1 male
,
6 mm
).
Western Bass Strait
,
39º26.3’S
,
143º06.8’E
,
115 m
,
21 Nov 1981
,
NMV
J8843
(
1 female
, 7.0 mm;
2 males
,
7 mm
);
39º21.0’S
,
143º06.0’E
,
101 m
,
10 Oct 1980
,
NMV
J8844
(
1 female
,
6.5 mm
);
39º06.0’S
,
143º21.0’E
,
59 m
,
8 Oct 1980
,
NMV
J8837
(
1 immature
male,
5.5 mm
);
39º20.0’S
,
143º34.0’E
,
95 m
,
10 Oct 1980
,
NMV
J8842
(
1 male
,
10 mm
).
Western Port
,
38º26.48’S
,
145º13.03’E
,
23 m
,
25 Nov 1973
,
NMV
J1014
(
1 female
,
10.5 mm
;
1 immature
male,
8 mm
);
38º21.39’S
,
145º14.03’E
,
16 m
,
25 Mar 1965
,
NMV
J1011
(
1 male
,
8.5 mm
;
1 immature
male,
7 mm
).
9.5 km
SW of Port Albert
,
38º44.0’S
,
146º37.0’E
,
9 m
,
22 Nov 1983
,
NMV
J12580
(
1 female
,
10.5 mm
).
Tas.
Central Bass Strait
,
40º31.1’S
,
145º04.0’E
,
29 m
,
3 Nov 1980
,
NMV
J8841
(
2 females
,
10–11 mm
;
1 immature
male,
8 mm
)
.
Description of female.
Head with a dorsal elevation between the eyes; anterolateral margins angular; rostral point present; lateral margin of head and pereonite 1 not incised. Pereonite 1 with small dorsal elevation. Pereonites 2 and 3 progressively wider, with small dorsal elevations, with small anterolateral extensions present. Pereonite 4 about 6 times as long as pereonite 3; with a dorsal elevation at third length and an elevation on the posterior dorsal margin, anterior anterolateral margins rounded and extended, widest anteriorly. Pereonites 5–7 progressively shorter posteriorly, without dorsal elevations. Pleon length greater than combined lengths of pereonites 5–7; without dorsal elevations, with small lateral wings, tapered to a narrow rounded apex.
Eyes large and round. Antenna 1 reaching to the end of the second peduncular article of antenna 2; aesthetascs present distally and laterally on flagellum. Antenna 2 slender, more than half as long as body; flagellum of 3 articles ending with claw, with 2 rows of scales along full length.
Maxilla 1 mesial lobe with 3 terminal setae; lateral lobe with 12 distal robust setae. Maxilla 2 mesial lobe with 20 plumose setae, middle lobe with 4 setae, lateral lobe with 3 setae. Maxillipedal endite with 8 mesial setae; 1 coupling hook; palp article 2 with mesial setal rows, articles 3 and 4 with mesial and lateral setal rows, article 5 with mesial and distal setae.
Pereopod 1 propodus as long as carpus; dactylus slightly longer than wide, without unguis. Pereopods 2–4 with small dactylus. Pereopods 5–7 dactylus not denticulate, with unguis and secondary unguis; secondary unguis half length of primary unguis. Uropodal exopod with 2 setae of unequal length. Oostegite 4 with sutured small posterior lobe.
6.5–11 mm
.
Male.
Head and pereonite 1 similar to female. Pereonites 2 and 3 without dorsal elevations. Pereonite 4 about 11 times as long as pereonite 3, constricted for the first quarter length, with a posterodorsal curved elevation. Pereonites 5–7 progressively shorter posteriorly, without dorsal elevations. Pleon length greater than combined lengths of pereonite 5–7, with a pair of small dorsal elevations, with lateral wings, tapering to a narrow rounded apex.
Antennae, mouthparts, pereopods and uropods as for female.
Pleopod 1 exopod with lateral notch and 2 plumose lateral setae of equal length. Pleopod 2 appendix masculina with ridge on posterior face, with tufts of fine setae at three-quarters length, curved, extending quarter length past endopod, apex simple. Penial plate proximally widened, straight, apex simple.
6.0–
10.5 mm
.
Distribution.
Australia
:
Victoria
,
Tasmania
; subtidal to
115 m
depth.
Remarks.
This species was briefly described by
Guiler (1949)
along with three others from the same locality that are synonymous. The similarity between Guiler’s specimens, two of
A. inaequispinosa
and one of each of the others, was first correctly noted by Lew Ton (unpublished) who attributed the alleged specific differences to uneven mounting and illustrations of the material, and incorrect differentiation of males, females and juveniles. The large dorsal elevation between the eyes and the lack of an incision in the groove between the head and pereonite 1 most easily distinguishes
N. inaequispinosa
from other species of
Neastacilla
. Also, the shape of the pleotelson, the dorsal elevations on pereonites 1–4 of the female and the posterior dorsal elevation on pereonite 4 of both males and females are key characteristics.