VEMANIDAE Lowry & Myers, 2017

Hendrycks, Ed A. & Thurston, Michael H., 2025, Two new species of Vemana Barnard, 1964 (Crustacea, Amphipoda, Vemanidae) from abyssal depths in the eastern tropical Atlantic Ocean, Zootaxa 5653 (1), pp. 97-115 : 98-99

Family VEMANIDAE Lowry & Myers, 2017

Included genera. Vemana Barnard, 1964

Type species. Vemana compressa Barnard, 1964 (type by original designation)

Included species. Vemana contains seven species: Vemana compressa Barnard, 1964 ; V. cuspidata sp. nov.; V. geyserensis Ledoyer, 1986 ; V. hortonae sp. nov.; V. lemuresa Barnard, 1967 ; V. lizata Barnard, 1964 ; V. touzeti Ortiz & Winfield, 2022 .

Diagnosis. (modified after Lowry & Myers 2017)

[Antennae subequal] or antenna 1 shorter than antenna 2; callynophore well developed in both sexes; accessory flagellum short or minute. Antennae 1–2 calceoli absent (but present in terminal male). [Gland cone prominent] except in V. lizata . Mandibular incisor dentate; molar large, triturative. Maxilla 1 inner plate setose along medial margin; palps asymmetric. Maxilla 2 inner plate with strong, oblique setal row. Maxilliped palps well-developed. [Gnathopod 1 simple]. Gnathopod 2 subchelate [except in V. touzeti Ortiz & Winfield, 2022 which lacks a palm], although described as possessing a transverse palm. Pereopods 1–4 coxae not acute ventrally. Coxa 4 subequal to or smaller than coxa 3. [Uropod 1 without apical spines]. Telson laminar, moderately cleft.

[divergencies are shown in square brackets]

Remarks. Maxilla 1 inner plate bears 13–22 setae on the medial margin in four of the five described species (unknown in V. lizata ) but 42 in one of the new species described herein. Gnathopod 1 is here regarded as simple. Although the dactyl is shown as reflected to varying degrees in some illustrations, e.g. V. geyserensis , in no species is there any evidence for the existence of defining palmar spines. Gnathopod 2 has a strongly oblique palm in all species except V. touzeti and V. geyserensis . In V. touzeti , the palm is absent according to the illustration of Ortiz & Winfield (2022, fig. 4, also p. 587), although described as being present and transverse. The palm of V. geyserensis is short and oblique, but almost transverse ( Ledoyer, 1986, fig. 404, also p. 1022). Coxa 3 is deeper than coxa 4 to a greater or lesser degree in all species of Vemana except V. lizata . Based on the shape of the coxae of pereopods 3 and 4 as shown by Barnard (1964, fig. 31J, K), it is probable that the labelling has been transposed and that coxa 3 is deeper than coxa 4 in that species also. Coxa 4 lacks a posterior excavation in all species except V. touzeti and the new species, V. hortonae . Vemana compressa is the only species with a rounded posteroventral corner of epimeron 3.