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Type: Articles
Published: 2012-03-14
Page range: 22–36
Abstract views: 57

Gnathia masca sp. nov. (Crustacea, Isopoda, Gnathiidae) from Lizard Island, Great Barrier Reef, Australia

Centre for Aquatic Sciences, Department of Zoology, University of Johannesburg, P.O. Box 524, Auckland Park 2006, South Africa
School of Environmental Sciences and Development, Private Bag X6001, North-West University, Potchefstroom, 2520, South Africa
School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, 4072, Australia
Centre for Aquatic Sciences, Department of Zoology, University of Johannesburg, P.O. Box 524, Auckland Park 2006, South Africa School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, Kingston University, Kingston upon Thames, KT1 2EE, United Kingdom
Crustacea Isopoda Gnathiidae Gnathia Great Barrier Reef description morphology taxonomy

Abstract

Gnathia masca sp. nov. is described from material collected off Coconut Beach, Lizard Island, Great Barrier Reef, Aus-tralia. Males are characterised by a cephalosome with a shallow dorsal sulcus that stretches half its length, a slightly pro-duced frontal border with two conical superior fronto-lateral processes and a conical inferior medio-frontal process. Malemandibles have 6 processes on the dentate blade and a distinct internal lobe with 6 or 7 crenulations and a single largedistal process. Live males, females and larvae are characterized by brown pigmentation especially in the male where it forms a dark band that stretches between the eyes, giving it the appearance of a mask.

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