Description of Heteromysis (Olivemysis) ningaloo new species and interesting records of H. (Gnathomysis) harpaxoides Băcescu and Bruce (Crustacea: Mysida: Mysidae) from the Australian coral reefs

Mikhail Daneliya

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleScientificpeer-review

Abstract

A new mysid species Heteromysis (Olivemysis) ningaloo sp. nov. (Mysidae:
Heteromysinae) is described from Ningaloo Reef in Western Australia. The species differs from the most closely related Australian species, H. (O.) abrucei Băcescu, 1979, H. (O.) macrophthalma Băcescu, 1983, and H. (O.) sexspinosa Murano, 1988, by having a longer antennal scale that is about as long as the peduncle of antenna 1. It also differs from each of these species by a set of additional characters related to the carapace, telson and pereopods. With the inclusion of H. (O.) ningaloo sp. nov., the genus consists of 84 species, 20 of which are recorded in Australian waters. Heteromysis (Gnathomysis) harpaxoides
Băcescu and Bruce, 1980, known only from Australia, is recorded for the second time since the original description, now some 1300 km north of the type locality, in the shallows of Lizard Island. Both species were collected in open habitats despite the prevailing view that Heteromysis species are commensal with corals, hermit crabs and other invertebrates. A key to all Australian subgenera and species of Heteromysis is presented.

Original languageEnglish
JournalRecords of the Western Australian Museum
Volume27
Issue number2
Pages (from-to)135-147
Number of pages13
ISSN0312-3162
Publication statusPublished - Dec 2012
MoE publication typeA1 Journal article-refereed

Fields of Science

  • 1181 Ecology, evolutionary biology
  • Mysids
  • Heteromysinae
  • Heteromysis (Olivemysis)
  • Heteromysis (Gnathomysis)
  • Australia
  • Indo-Pacific
  • facultative commensalism

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