Leucothoe alata Barnard, 1959

Dugger, Abigail R. & White, Kristine N., 2025, Caribbean Amphipoda (Crustacea) of Panama. Part V: parvorder Amphilochidira, ZooKeys 1259, pp. 57-102 : 57-102

Leucothoe alata Barnard, 1959

Figs 12, 23E

Leucothoe minima Barnard, 1952: 9–12, pl. 1 [not Schellenberg, 1925: 141–142, fig. 12].

Leucothoe alata Barnard 1959: 19–20, pl. 1; Barnard 1962: 132, figs 7 D – F; Barnard 1964 a: 114; Barnard 1964 b: 227; Barnard 1966: 22; Barnard 1969 a: 164; Barnard 1969 b: 214; Barnard 1979: 128–129; Hirayama 1985: 172–174, figs 166, 169.

Material examined.

Panama • 2.5–3.2 mm • 1 ♂, 1 ♀; Bocas del Toro, Cayo Zapatilla ; 9.2699°N, 82.0587°W; depth 0 m; buoy scraping; 29 June 2023; K. N. White leg.; USNM 1762942 .

Diagnosis.

Head anterodistal margin subquadrate without cusp; ventral keel slightly produced. Gnathopod 1 basis anterior and posterior margins bare; carpus thickened; propodus expanded, palm dentate; dactylus reaching less than 0.2 × propodus length. Gnathopod 2 basis with anterodistal projection; carpus distally truncate, spoon-like; propodus with one mediofacial setal row above midline, reaching 0.9 × propodus length, palm with several small tubercles. Coxa 4 posterior margin slightly concave. Epimeron 3 posteroventral corner subquadrate.

Distribution.

USA: Monterey Bay to San Ramon Bay, California ( Barnard 1952, 1955, 1962, 1964 a, 1964 b, 1966, 1969 a, 1969 b, 1979); Japan: West Kyushu, Tomioka Bay ( Hirayama 1985); Panama: Bocas del Toro (present study).

Ecology and remarks.

This species occurs among sponges on docks ( Barnard 1959) and buoys, suggesting that this species may be easily transported with fouling organisms. This may partially explain the range extension of this species to include the Caribbean Sea, when it was previously only documented from the Pacific Ocean. Panamanian specimens agree closely with the original description of this species, except for the anterodistal head margin appearing slightly more truncated in Panamanian specimens. The color of living specimens is unknown.

Figures

Figure 12. Leucothoe alata, male, 2.5 mm, gnathopod 1 medial, head, coxa 4, epimeron 3, gnathopod 2 medial. Scale bars: 0.5 mm.

Figure 23. Photographs of live specimens unless noted. A. Anamixis cavatura anamorph; B. Anamixis cavatura leucomorph; C. Anamixis vanga anamorph (ethanol-preserved specimen); D. Anamixis vanga leucomorph; E. Leucothoe alata (ethanol-preserved specimen); F. Leucothoe ashleyae; G. Leucothoe barana; H. Leucothoe flammosa. Scale bars: 1.0 mm.