​Plakarthrium australiense, a third species of Plakarthriidae (Crustacea:Isopoda)

Memoirs of Museum Victoria Vol 58 (2) p. 373–382 (2001)

DOI

http://doi.org/10.24199/j.mmv.2001.58.20

Abstract

The Plakarthriidae share with four genera of Sphaeromatidae a flat habitus and a marginal row of setae on antenna 1, coxae and uropods, modified to maintain contact with he substrate. They do not possess areas of scales on pleopod 5, a probable sphaeromatid synapomorphy. The possibility exists that Plakarthriidae are a highly derived offshoot of a clade that also gave rise to the flattened “cassidiniine” sphaeromatids. Plakarthrium australiense sp. nov. is described from the southern Australian marine shelf and compared with he only two other species of the genus and family. The new species differs from P. typicum from New Zealand and P. punctatissimum from subantarctic islands of the South Atlantic and Antarctic Peninsula in having pleonite 1 fully indicated dorsally, only pleonite 2 indicated laterally and pleotelson tapering to 80% of its anterior width posteriorly.

Citation

Poore, G.C.B. & Brandt, A., 2001. Plakarthrium australiense, a third species of Plakarthriidae (Crustacea:Isopoda). Memoirs of Museum Victoria 58: 373-382. http://doi.org/10.24199/j.mmv.2001.58.20

PUBLICATION DATE: 30 APRIL 2001