New gnathiid isopod crustaceans (Cymothoida) from Heron Island and Wistari Reef, southern Great Barrier Reef
Author
Svavarsson, Jörundur
Author
Bruce, Niel L.
text
Zootaxa
2019
2019-05-22
4609
1
31
67
journal article
26729
10.11646/zootaxa.4609.1.2
a349f585-a56b-4aee-b082-58d671a15523
1175-5326
3150433
68F78949-4006-424B-8CA4-432CD2955264
Genus
Elaphognathia
Monod, 1926
Type
species.
Anceus ferox
Haswell, 1884
; subsequent designation by
Cohen & Poore (1994)
.
Diagnosis
. Eyes present. Frontal margin of cephalon transverse, often deeply excavated; with frontal processes which may be emarginate. Mandibles long, cylindrical; often lacking mandibular blade, though may possess numerous specialised structures. Pereonite 1 immersed in cephalon. Pylopod 2- or 3-articled; operculate, article 1 enlarged, generally with dense external margin of plumose setae; article 3 small or absent (modified from
Cohen & Poore 1994
).
Remarks
. The generic diagnosis is here slightly modified. The frontal excavation varies considerably between species, being very deep in some species (e.g.
E. lucanoides
Monod, 1926
), while only moderate indented in the species described here. A mandibular blade is often lacking, but is present in several species (e.g.
E. australis
Svavarsson & Bruce, 2012
).
Currently, 23 species of
Elaphognathia
are known, of which six occur in Australian waters, namely
Elaphognathia ferox
(Haswell, 1884)
,
E. bifurcilla
(
Holdich & Harrison, 1980
)
,
E. forceps
(
Holdich & Harrison, 1980
)
,
E. rimifrons
(
Holdich & Harrison, 1980
)
,
E. froygattella
Cohen & Poore, 1994
and
E. australis
Svavarsson & Bruce, 2012
(
Cohen & Poore 1994
,
Boyko
et al
. 2008
onwards,
Svavarsson & Bruce 2012
). Here, the seventh Australian species is described.