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

as long as wide, inferior margin with 3 RS (set as and
2), superior distal angle with 2 slender setae, inferior
distal angle with 3 RS.
Penes medially united; penial process 0.4 times as
long as basal width.
Pleopod 1 exopod .4 times as long as wide, distally
broadly rounded, lateral margin straight, mesial
margin strongly convex, with PMS on distal half,
with ~58 PMS; endopod .9 times as long as wide,
distally subtruncate, lateral margin weakly concave,
with PMS on distal margin only, mesial margin with
PMS on distal one-third, endopod with ~40 PMS; peduncle
.7 times as wide as long, mesial margin with
8 coupling hooks. Pleopod 2 exopod with ~88 PMS,
endopod with ~60 PMS; appendix masculina basally
swollen, 0.7 times as long as endopod, distally acute.
Pleopod 3 exopod with ~ 00 PMS, endopod with ~27
PMS. Pleopod 4 exopod with ~90 PMS, endopod with
~25 PMS. Pleopod 5 exopod with ~72 PMS. Exopods of
pleopods –3 each with distolateral margin not digitate;
endopods of pleopods 3–5 each with distolateral
point; pleopods 2–4 peduncle distolateral margin with
prominent acute RS.
Uropod peduncle posterior lobe about three-
quarters as long as endopod. Uropod rami extending
to pleotelson apex, apices acute. Endopod apically not
bifid, lateral margin straight, without prominent ex-
cision, proximal lateral margin with 0 RS, distal lateral
margin with 2 RS, mesial margin sinuate, with 7 RS.
Exopod not extending to end of endopod, 3.0 times as
long as greatest width, apically not bifid; lateral margin
weakly convex, with 9 RS; mesial margin straight,
distally convex, with 4 RS.
femaLe: More ovate than male; lacks the transverse
ridge on pereonite 2; lacks dorsal nodules except on
the pleotelson, where they are present though smaller
than in the male.
size: Adults measure between 4.4 and 8.0 mm; the
single manca was 6.0 mm.
Variation: The small number (4) of mature adult specimens
means that it is not possible to precisely detail
the variation. The pleotelson has from about 4 to 6 RS.
The uropod endopod lateral margin has 2 distal RS,
the mesial margin 6 or 7 RS for adults (5 in the manca);
the exopod lateral margin has 9 or 0 RS (8 and 9 in
the manca), the mesial margin 4 RS (3 in the manca).
The RS on the merus of pereopods –3 appear to be
constant but could not be readily discerned in the two
smallest specimens.
Body shape varies a little, with the adult male from
New Zealand having subparallel lateral margins (2.4
times as long as wide), while the male holotype and
non-ovigerous female were both wider and more ovate
(2.3 times as long as wide).
6
remarks: This is a distinctive species, males being readily
recognised by the fine nodules along the posterior
margins of the posterior pereonites and pleonites, presence
of numerous small spines on the dorsal surface
of the pleotelson and medially fused penial processes.
Females can be recognised by the presence of reduced
spines on the pleotelson and the characteristic setation
and shape of the uropod rami and posterior margin of
the pleotelson.
The shape of the eyes is unusual within the genus
in that they are noticeably anterior in position (rather
than ventral), appearing somewhat bulbous and almost
entirely filling the anterior margin of the head in
dorsal view. The propodus of pereopod is distinctive
in having a prominent and acute robust seta opposing
the base of the dactylus. In most Aegidae there is no
such seta at this position.
Epulaega monilis (Barnard, 9 4) is closely similar
to Epulaega fracta, but can be distinguished by lacking
spines on the dorsal surface of the pleotelson in
both males and females, the nodules on the posterior
margins of the pleonites are larger (particularly the
median nodules) and extend to the anterior pereonites,
and the uropodal exopod is as long as the endopod (a
little shorter in E. fracta).
prey: One specimen from Hyperoglyphe antarctica (Carmichael,
8 9) [bluenose and matiri (New Zealand) or
Antarctic butterfish, Centrolophidae].
distribution: Southwestern Pacific, off Tasmania and
southern Queensland; off Great Barrier Island, North
Island and Kaikoura, South Island, both on the east
coast of New Zealand; at a recorded depth of 400–500
metres.
Genus Rocinela Leach, 8 8
Rocinela Leach, 8 8: 349.– Desmarest, 825:304.– Milne
Edwards, 840: 243.– Dana, 852: 304*.– Bate &
Westwood, 867: 289.– Schioedte & Meinert: 879b: 380.–
Gerstaecker, 882: 227.– Haswell, 882: 285.– Stebbing,
893: 348; 905: 23.– Sars, 897: 65.– Richardson, 898:
8; 905a: 90.– Barnard, 9 4: 368; 936: 59.– Hale,
925: 82.– Menzies, 962: 8.– Menzies & Glynn,
968: 45.– Menzies & George, 972: 2.– Kensley, 978:
59.– Kussakin, 979: 25 .– Menzies & Kruczynski, 983:
62.– Brusca, 980: 229.– Bruce, 983: 778.– Brusca &
Iverson, 985: 42.– Brusca & France, 992: 236.– Kensley &
Schotte, 989: 9.– Bruce, Lew Ton & Poore, 2002: 63.
Acherusia Lucas, 849: 78.– Dana, 852: 304* (type species
Acherusia dumerilii Lucas, 849).
Acherousia.– Schioedte & Meinert, 879b: 380 (lapsus).
Rocinella.– Bate, 878 : 65 (lapsus).
Not Rocinela.– Bovallius 885: 4 (= Syscenus Harger, 880).
type speCies: Rocinela danmoniensis Leach, 8 8, by
monotypy.
* There is a pagination error in this publication, with page
304 printed as 204.