The Marine Fauna of New Zealand: Isopoda, Aegidae (Crustacea)

33°47–44’S, 5 °59’– 52°0 ’E, from sponge, 987– 005
m, coll. FRV Kapala (AM P43979). 2♀ (non-ovig), northeast
of Tuncurry, NSW, 32°08’S, 53°09’E, 989, with
bits of hexactinellid sponge attached, 034– 079 m (AM
P4398 ). 94 specimens, off Tuncurry, NSW, 32°09–05’S,
53°09’E, 2 June 988, ‘from tall sponge’, 066– 00
m, coll. FRV Kapala (AM P43973).
Additional material: vanuatu: MUSORSTOM, 8,
coll. B. Richer de Forges: 3, 5°57.30’S, 67°27.73’E, 5
October 994, stn. CP 080, 799–850 m (MNMN Is.5868);
2, 8°57.70’S, 68°54.40’E, 29 September 994, stn.
CP 037, 058– 086 m, (MNMN Is.5869); 3, 8°0 .00’S,
68°48.20’E, 20 September 994, stn. CP 036, 920–950
m (MNMN Is.5870); 3, 5°52.62’S, 67°20.36’E, 22
September 994, stn. CP 082, 492–520 m, in sponge
(MNMN Is.5871); 3, 6°00.73’S, 66°39.94’E, 0 October
994, stn. CP 29, 0 4– 050 m, (MNMN Is.5872). New
caledonia: , 2 °42.8 ’S, 66°4 .95’E, 20 March 994,
HALIPRO stn. CP858, 000– 20 m, coll. B. Richer
de Forges (MNHN Is.5873). 2, 25° 7’S, 70°24’E,
November 996, HALIPRO 2, stn. BT25, 000– 348 m,
from hexactinellid sponge, coll. B. Richer de Forges
(MNHN Is.5874). 3, 2 °4 .80’S, 66°40. 0’E, March
993, BATHUS stn. CP65 , 080– 8 m, coll. B.
Richer de Forges (MNHN Is.5875). , 24°44.24’S,
170°0.01’E, 24 Feb 1993, BATHUS 3 St. DW776, 770–830
m, coll. B. Richer de Forges (MNHN Is.5877). 3, 24°43.49’S,
170°07.07’E, 24 November 1993, BATHUS 3 stn. DW778,
750–760 m, coll. B. Richer de Forges (MNHN Is.5878).
Also examined: Comparative material of Aegiochus
plebeia, see Appendix 2.
desCription: Body 2.5 times as long as greatest width,
dorsal surfaces sparsely punctate, widest at pereonite
5, lateral margins weakly ovate. Rostral point folded
ventrally and posteriorly. Eyes large, not medially
united, separated by about 8– 0% width of head; each
eye made up of ~8–9 transverse rows of ommatidia,
each row with ~ 8 ommatidia; eye colour dark brown.
Pereonite 1 and coxae 2–3 each with posteroventral angle
with small distinct produced point. Coxae 5–7 with
entire oblique carina; posterior margins straight and
sinuate (coxa 6 sinuate, 7 straight), posterolateral angle
acute (less than 45°). Pleon with pleonite visible in
dorsal view; pleonite 4 with posterolateral margins extending
to but not beyond posterior margin of pleonite
5; pleonite 5 with posterolateral angles overlapped by
lateral margins of pleonite 4. Pleotelson 0.8 times as long
as anterior width, dorsal surface without longitudinal
carina; lateral margins convex, notched, posterior margin
converging to caudomedial point, with 2 RS.
Antennule peduncle articles 3 and 4 . times as
long as combined lengths of articles and 2, article 3
3.3 times as long as wide (narrowing distally); flagellum
with 9 articles, extending to anterior of pereonite
. Antenna peduncle article 4 2.0 as long as wide, 0.8
times as long as combined lengths of articles –3,
inferior margin 0 plumose setae, and 4 short simple
setae; article 5 .0 times as long as article 4, 2.2 times
as long as wide, inferior margin with 2 palmate setae,
anterodistal angle with cluster of 5 short simple setae;
flagellum with 21 articles, extending to posterior of
pereonite 2.
Frontal lamina posterior margin free, downwardly
projecting, blade-like, wider than long, posteriorly
rounded, anterior margin acute, forming median angle,
posterior margin not abutting clypeus.
Mandible molar process present, small distinct flat
lobe; palp article 2 with 8 distolateral setae (biserrate),
palp article 3 with 25 setae (simple; distal 3 markedly
longer than remainder). Maxillule with 7 terminal RS
(three largest being weakly hooked). Maxilla mesial
lobe with 3 RS (straight); lateral lobe with 4 RS. Maxilliped
endite with 2 apical setae (minute); palp article
2 with 2 RS; article 3 with 5 recurved RS (straight or
weakly recurved); article 4 with 4 hooked RS; article 5
with 6 RS (as 2 stout and 2 pairs of slender).
Pereopod 1 basis 3.0 as long as greatest width; ischium
0.5 times as long as basis, inferior margin with
0 RS, superior distal margin with RS (and one short
simple seta); merus inferior margin with RS (minute),
superior distal angle with 0 RS ( simple seta); carpus
0.7 as long as merus, inferior margin with RS (set on
weak lobe); propodus 2.6 times as long as proximal
width, inferior margin with RS, propodal palm with
large distal lobe (with distal margin at right angles to
axis of propodus), dactylus smoothly curved, .5 as
long as propodus. Pereopod 2 ischium inferior margin
with 0 RS, superior distal margin with RS (and
simple seta); merus inferior margin with 4 RS (concave,
distally lobed), set as single row or two groups,
superior distal margin with acute RS; carpus longer
than that of pereopod , with inferodistal lobe, inferodistal
angle with 2 RS. Pereopod 3 similar to pereopod
2. Pereopods 5–7 inferior margins of ischium–carpus
with short RS. Pereopod 6 similar to pereopod 7 (but
longer). Pereopod 7 basis 3.2 times as long as greatest
width, inferior margins with 2 palmate setae; ischium
0.4 as long as basis, inferior margin with 3 RS (set as ,
and ), superior distal angle with 3 RS, inferior distal
angle with 3 RS; merus .3 as long as ischium, 2.6 times
as long as wide, inferior margin with 5 RS (set as 4
clusters of , 2, and ), superior distal angle with 0
RS, inferior distal angle with 5 RS; carpus 0.9 as long
as ischium, 2.9 times as long as wide, inferior margin
with 4 RS (set as , 2 and submarginal), superior
distal angle with 9 RS, inferior distal angle with 6 RS;
propodus .0 as long as ischium, 4. times as long as
wide, inferior margin with 6 RS (set as 3 loose clusters
of 2 each), superior distal angle with 3 slender setae,
inferior distal angle with 3 RS.
Penes low tubercles; penial openings separated by
0% of sternal width.
29