Linguimaera thomsoni (Miers, 1884)

Lowry, JK & Springthorpe, RT, 2005, New and Little-known Melitid Amphipods from Australian Waters (Crustacea: Amphipoda: Melitidae), Records of the Australian Museum 57, pp. 237-302 : 257

Linguimaera thomsoni (Miers, 1884)

Megamaera thomsoni Miers, 1884: 318 , pl. 34, fig. B.

Maera mastersii Haswell, 1885: 105 (in part).

Type material. Apparently lost.

Type locality. Torres Strait.

Description. Based on Miers, 1884: 318, pl. 34, fig. B.

Head. Lateral cephalic lobes broad, rounded. Antenna 1 longer than antenna 2; peduncular article 1 shorter than article 2, with 1 robust seta on posterior margin; flagellum with 30+ articles. Article 4 subequal to article 5; antenna 2 flagellum with 10+ articles.

Pereon. Gnathopod 1 coxa anteroventral corner produced, rounded; merus with sharp posterodistal spine; carpus about 3× as long as broad; palm extremely acute, concave, without posterodistal corner. Gnathopod 2 subchelate; merus with sharp posteroventral spine; carpus long; propodus without medial depression, setose, palm acute, convex, sculptured, with sparse robust setae, defined by posteroventral spine; apically acute/subacute. Pereopod 5–7 basis posterior margin concave or straight, posteroventral corner narrowly rounded or subquadrate.

Pleon. Epimeron 1 posteroventral corner with small acute spine. Epimera 1–2 posteroventral margin with 1 to 2 large or small spines above spine defining posteroventral corner. Epimeron 3 posterior margin serrate, posteroventral corner with small acute spine. Uropod 3 rami distally acute/ subacute; inner ramus subequal in length to outer ramus; outer ramus longer (1.2 to 2× length) than peduncle, 1- articulate. Telson with robust setae on inner margins, each lobe with 1 apical/subapical robust seta, apical conical extension absent.

Habitat. Marine; 7 to 16 m depth.

Remarks. Linguimaera thomsoni is a poorly described species. Krapp-Schickel (2003) was able to separate L. thomsoni from L. pirloti by the first coxa that is anteroventrally rounded (acute in L. pirloti ) and the palm of gnathopod 2 that has a large excavation in L. thomsoni (two smaller excavations in L. pirloti ).

Distribution. Queensland: Albany Island, Prince of Wales Channel, Thursday Island, Torres Strait (Miers, 1884).

Australian geographic areas. Northeastern Australia.