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

uropods, and the elongate and flat (‘cirolanid-like’)
frontal lamina. Comparison with specimens from tropical
Australia (Australian Museum, Western Australian
Museum) confirm the identity of this immature specimen,
the most southerly record for the species.
Aegiochus vigilans shows a number of unique character
states these being, in addition to the strongly
dimorphic ornamentation of the mature males, a flat
and elongate frontal lamina, cirolanid-like spination of
the mandibular molar process, large blunt robust seta
at the inferodistal margin of the carpus of pereopods
2 and 3, an extremely long appendix masculina (more
than twice as long as the endopod), and paired narrow
penial processes; the maxilliped palp differs from others
in that article 4 is comparatively small.
Examination of paratypic material of Aega giganteocula
Nunomura, 998, shows that it agrees entirely
with the description of Aegiochus vigilans given by
Bruce ( 983); I have no hesitation in making the
synonymy.
distribution: One record from northeastern New Zealand.
Commonly recorded within the tropics from India
to eastern Australia and the Philippines (Bruce 983);
from shallow water on coral reefs to a depth of 27 m,
possibly deeper. Collections examined at the Muséum
national d’Histoire naturelle in Paris indicate that the
species is common in New Caledonian waters.
Aegiochus sp.
materiaL examined: ♂ (damaged, 9.5 mm), Parengarenga
Harbour, 2 Feb 974, Zostera and sand, 6–9
m, coll. RV Acheron (AK 4607).
remarks: This specimen, unfortunately in very poor
condition, appears most similar to Aegiochus nohinohi
sp. nov. Both species have relatively small eyes, similar
pattern of setation on the pereopods, serrate pleopodal
endopods, and the pleotelson without robust setae. A
number of differences suggest that this specimen may
be a distinct species: the frontal lamina appears to be a
ventrally flat triangle (similar to that of Aegiochus pushkini),
pereopods 2 and 3 have prominent robust setae
on the inferior margin of the merus, and the uropod
exopod and endopod each have two prominent robust
setae on the mesial margins. Given the very different
habitats of the two species (Parengarenga Harbour is
a largely enclosed marine estuary, while A. nohinohi is
known from oceanic shelf habitats, 360 to 40 metres)
it seems very unlikely that this specimen is A. nohinohi.
Unfortunately the specimen is too badly damaged to
describe, and additional specimens would be necessary
to adequately characterise the species.
5
Aegiochus sp.
materiaL examined: ♀ (ovig. 2.9 mm), Rumble 3 sea
mount, 78°29.79’E, 35°44.30’S, 20 May 200 , scoria
rubble, 939–250 m, coll. RV Tangaroa (NIWA 34807).
remarks: This specimen is very similar to Aegiochus
kanohi sp. nov., but differs notably in the shape of the
frontal lamina, which does not have a blade-like posterior
margin, pereopod 2 which has one robust seta
on the propodal palm, and in having robust setae on
the pleotelson posterior margins. These are diagnostic
characters, but without more specimens, including
mature males, the species cannot adequately be characterised,
nor differentiated from other similar sympatric
species. Until further material is available it remains
identified as Aegiochus sp.
Epulaega gen. nov.
type speCies: Aega fracta Hale, 940, here designated.
speCies inCLuded: In addition to type species— Epulaega
derkoma sp. nov., Epulaega nodosa (Schioedte & Meinert,
879), comb. nov., Epulaega lethrina (Bruce, 983) comb.
nov. and E. monilis (Barnard, 9 4) comb. nov.
diagnosis: Rostrum minute, not visible in dorsal view.
Eyes large, united. Antennule and antenna peduncle
articles not expanded or produced. Maxillule with single
large broad-based and several small RS. Maxilliped
palp 5-articled, article shorter than wide, article 5
minute. Penial processes medially fused, with separate
openings.
desCription: Body moderately to strongly vaulted,
about 2 to 4 times as long as wide. Eyes large, medially
united. Rostral point ventral or anteroventral, minute.
Coxae 4–7 longer than respective segment, posteriorly
produced. Pleon not abruptly narrower than pereon;
pleonites all visible, pleon not widest posteriorly, pleonite
5 laterally overlapped by pleonite 4; pleonites 3–5
posteriorly produced to an acute point.
Frontal lamina present, ovate, not in contact with labrum.
Mandible with uni- or bicuspid incisor. Maxillule
with 1 large flat terminal broad-based RS, several small
RS. Maxilla lateral lobe with 3–5 terminal hooked RS,
endite with 2–3 hooked RS. Maxilliped palp 5-articled,
article shorter than wide, articles 3 and 4 each with
2–6 stout recurved RS, article 5 minute, vestigial.
remarks: All species of Epulaega gen. nov. have large
medially united eyes, lack an obvious rostrum in dorsal
view, maxilliped palp article 5 is a vestigial lobe,
and the penial papillae are medially fused. The latter
three states are defining apomorphies for the genus.