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

Figure 103. Rocinela bonita sp. nov. Male paratype 35 mm. A–E, pleopods –5 respectively; F, pleopod peduncle mesial
and lateral margins.
(38%), 3 (33%) and 4 (20%) most frequent. Uropod
endopod mesial margin varied from 2 to 5, with 4 (76%)
the most frequent, 3 and 5 each occurring twice and 2
once; lateral margin with 6–8, with 7 (48%) and 8 (43%)
most frequent, 6 occurring twice.
The setation of the pereopod palm is highly consistent
with 4 robust setae on pereopods –3 with only
one exception with 3 robust setae; no specimen had
more than four robust setae on the palm. The robust
setae count on the inferior margin of the merus was
consistently +2, although some of these were missing
and there may be some variation.
There is no discernable difference in the number of
robust setae between males and females, nor in relation
to size—the smallest male ( 5.5 mm) and female
( 6.5 mm) had similar counts for robust setae: pleotelson
RS ( ), pereopods –3 (8 and 9) and uropods
(endopod mesial with 2 and 3, lateral with 3).
Eye size varies with size, small specimens having
proportionally larger eyes than adult specimens; the
eyes are separated by 2.5%, 5% and 24% in the manca
(Fig. 00G), female holotype (Fig. 00D) and adult male
(Fig. 00F) respectively.
remarks: Rocinela bonita sp. nov. can be identified by
the large but well-separated eyes, relatively narrow
rostrum, narrow sub-rectangular blade on the palm of
pereopods –3 that is consistently provided with four
robust setae (stout in juveniles and females, slender in
the mature male), evenly rounded pleotelson, pleotel-
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