Austrarturellidae (Crustacea : Isopoda : Valvifera), a new family from Australasia

Abstract

The family Austrarcturellidae is established for Austrarcturella, gen. nov., Abyssarcturella, gen. nov., Pseudarcturella Tattersall (1921) and Scyllarcturella, gen. nov. Males of this family share a uniquely modified first pleopod in which the exopod has a lateral secondary ramus. The pleotelson is usually of a unique inverted flat-bottomed boat-shape, and the dactyli of pereopods 2 and 3 have a minute proximal part and elongate unguis.

The genus Pseudarcturella Tattersall (1921) is redefined; its type species, P. chiltoni Tattersall, is redescribed and P. crenulata, sp. nov. added.

Thirteen species of Austrarcturella, gen. nov. are described from the Australian continental shelf and slope: A. oculata (Beddard) (type species), A. aphelura, sp. nov., A. brychia, sp. nov., A. callosa, sp. nov., A. cava (Hale), A. corona, sp. nov., A. hirsuta, sp. nov., A. inornata, sp. nov., A. macrokola, sp. nov., A. pictila, sp. nov., A. sexspinosa, sp. nov., A. spinipes, sp, nov. and A. thetidis, sp. nov. One further species, A. galathea, sp, nov., is described from New Zealand.

Abyssarcturella, gen. nov. is diagnosed and two species from deep water in eastern Australia are described: A. panope, sp. nov. (type species) and A. cidaris, sp. nov.

Scyllarcturella, gen, nov. is diagnosed for S. falcata, sp. nov. from deep water in north-eastern Australia.

Keys to all taxa are presented and their distributions are briefly discussed.