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

Figure 97. Epulaega fracta (Hale, 940). NMNZ Cr.9260. A, mandible; B, mandible palp, article 3; C, maxillule apex; D, maxilla
apex; E, maxilla; F, maxilliped; G; maxilliped palp article 5.
Also examined: 24 specimens (5 mature adults) of
Aega monilis Barnard, 9 4, 3 °35’S, 6°30’E, 24 January
995, 33 m, in sponge, coll. SAFRI Africana (SafM
A43 7).
type LoCaLity: ‘Off Tasmanian coast’ (Hale 940), southeastern
Australia.
desCription: Body 2.3 times as long as greatest width,
dorsal surfaces sparsely punctate, widest at pereonite
5, lateral margins subparallel. Rostral point ventrally
directed. Eyes large, medially united, anterior clear field
14% length of head, posterior clear field 44% length of
head; each eye made up of ~ 3 transverse rows of ommatidia,
each row with ~7 ommatidia; eye colour black.
Pereonite 1 and coxae 2–3 each with posteroventral angle
rounded; pereonite 2 with median curved transverse
nodulose ridge; posterior margins of pereonites with
58
small nodules. Coxae 5–7 with entire oblique carina;
posterior margins convex, posterolateral angle blunt
(more than 45°). Pleon with pleonite visible in dorsal
view; pleonites with small nodules along posterior
margin; pleonite 4 with posterolateral margins extending
clearly beyond posterior margin of pleonite 5;
pleonite 5 with posterolateral angles free, not overlapped
by lateral margins of pleonite 4. Pleotelson 0.7
times as long as anterior width, dorsal surface without
longitudinal carina, with short acute spines; lateral
margins convex, smooth, posterior margin with distinct
short median point, with 4–6 RS.
Antennule peduncle articles 3 and 4 . times as
long as combined lengths of articles and 2, article 3
3.8 times as long as wide; flagellum with 12 articles,
extending to posterior of pereonite . Antenna peduncle
article 4 2. times as long as wide, 0.7 times as long
as combined lengths of articles –3, inferior margin 0