Ameroculodes miltoni, a new species of estuarine amphipod (Crustacea: Malacostraca: Peracarida: Oedicerotidae) from the southeastern United States
Author
Foster, John M.
Author
Heard, Richard W.
text
Zootaxa
2002
2002-04-12
28
1
12
journal article
http://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4620161
1d53d267-f236-45da-b852-56b4cf3525d6
11755326
4620161
2EB3FDF9-76B5-44D9-90BD-AEEF4C1E94FC
FAMILY
OEDICEROTIDAE
Liljeborg,
1865
Ameroculodes
Bousfield and Chevrier,
1996
, emended diagnosis
Diagnosis
. – Maxilliped, outer plate bearing spine setae only; palp with article
2
broad, distally truncate. Gnathopod
1
, carpal lobe of medium length and width, reaching palmar angle. Pereopods
23
, carpus longer than propodus; propodus broad, subovate, narrowing distally; dactyl short, one third or less length of propodus. Pereopods
45
, merus relatively short, strongly expanded distally; dactyl short, one half or less length of propodus. Pereopod
7
, carpus slightly longer than merus, subequal to propodus in length; dactyl, posterior margin strongly setose, bearing long natatory setae. Uropods
13
, tips of rami not extending subequally, those of uropod
3
shorter than those of uropod
12
. Telson subquadrate or rounded apically.
Remarks
.– Because the new euryhaline species here described from southeastern
U. S.
estuaries appears to have its closest affinities with
Ameroculodes
, we here emend this genus to receive it. As species within the genus
Monoculodes
sensu
Bousfield and Chevrier (
1996
)
also have rounded or subquadrate epimeral plates, we consider this a specific, rather than a generic, character within the genus
Ameroculodes
, as well. The short dactyls of pereopods
36
, especially those of pereopods
3
and
4
, appear to be the best diagnostic character for the genus
Ameroculodes
.