Abstract
A new intertidal species of the melitid amphipod, Melita panda, from the Wakayama Prefecture, Japan, is identified and described. Melita panda sp. nov. differs from the similar M. koreana and M. nagatai by its black-and-white body color, well-developed anterodistal projection of the male gnathopod 1 propodus, and telson armature. Molecular phylogenetic analyses based on the nuclear 28S rRNA and mitochondrial COI genes support that M. panda sp. nov. is closely related to M. koreana and M. nagatai.
Key words: Intertidal zone, Melita panda, molecular phylogeny, morphology, systematics, taxonomy, Wakayama
Family Melitidae Bousfield, 1973
Genus Melita Leach, 1814
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| Melita panda sp. nov. holotype, male 6.0 mm (NSMT-Cr 32141), habitus, lateral view. |
Melita panda sp. nov.
New Japanese name: Panda-melita-yokoebi
Diagnosis: Head with eyes; antennal sinus incised. Pleonites and urosomites lacking dorsal teeth. Epimeral plate 3 with weakly pointed posterodistal corner. Urosomite 2 with 3 dorsolateral robust setae on each side without distinct teeth. Antenna 1 with 4-articulate accessory flagellum. Maxilla 1 with inner plate bearing 7 plumose setae. Gnathopod 1 with basis and ischium bearing small palmate setae. Male gnathopod 1 with anterodistal projection on propodus forming rounded hood, covering almost all of dactylus, propodus with 3 and 1 robust setae on posterior margin and at the base of anterodistal projection, respectively. Male gnathopod 2 with subquadrate propodus setaceous on medial surface, angle between posterior and palmar margins of propodus being approximately 140°. Female coxa 6 hooked with anterior lobe 1.2 times deeper than width of coxa. Uropod 3 with 1-articulate outer ramus. Telson longer than its width.
Etymology: The species name “panda” is derived from its black-and-white body coloration, which resembles that of the giant panda Ailuropoda melanoleuca.
Ko Tomikawa, Shigeyuki Yamato and Hiroyuki Ariyama. 2024. Melita panda, A New Species of Melitidae (Crustacea, Amphipoda) from Japan. ZooKeys. 1212: 267-283. DOI: doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1212.128858
