Paralysianopsis capricornia Lowry & Kilgallen, 2014, sp. nov.

Paralysianopsis capricornia sp. nov.

(Figs 17–19)

Types. Holotype, female, 3.6 mm, AM P.70543, east of Fitzroy Reef, Queensland, Australia (23°32.53’S 152°16.45’E), 105 m, baited trap, 16 June 1993 – 17 June 1993, J.K. Lowry, P. Freewater & R.T. Springthorpe, MV Reefknot stn QLD-954/SEAS. Paratypes: 1 male, 2.4 mm, AM P.71608; 6 specimens, 2.9–4.2 mm, AM P.49695; 1 specimen, AM P.57642, 2.4 mm, east of Fitzroy Reef, Queensland, Australia (23°32.53’S 152°16.45’E), 105 m, baited trap, 16 June 1993 – 17 June 1993, J.K. Lowry, P. Freewater & R. T. Springthorpe, MV Reefknot stn QLD-954/ SEAS; 1 male, 3.6 mm, AM P.71609; 28 specimens, 2.4–3.6 mm, AM P.57643, east of Fitzroy Reef, Queensland, Australia (23°32.53’S 152°16.45’E), 105 m, baited trap, 16 June 1993 – 17 June 1993, J.K. Lowry, P. Freewater & R. T. Springthorpe, MV Reefknot stn QLD-955/ SEAS.

Additional material examined. Queensland. 1 specimen, AM P.57749, east of Flynn Reef (16° 41.32’S 146°18.27’E), 100 m, baited trap, 06 June 1993 – 07 June 1993, J.K. Lowry, P. Freewater, W. Vader, RV Sunbird stn QLD-919/ SEAS; 3 specimens, AM P.51125, east of Fitzroy Reef (23° 34.82’S 152°11.77’E), 58 m, baited trap, 3 June 1994 – 4 June 1994, J.K. Lowry & K. Dempsey, MV Reefknot stn QLD-1091; 1 specimen, AM P.57748, east of Flynn Reef (16° 41.32’S 146°18.27’E), 100 m, baited trap, 6 June 1993 – 7 June 1993, J.K. Lowry, P. Freewater, W. Vader, RV Sunbird stn QLD-918/ SEAS; 3 specimens, AM P.50756, east of Fitzroy Reef (23°32.47’S 152°16.45’E), 58 m, baited trap, 2 June 1994 – 3 June 1994, J.K. Lowry & K. Dempsey, MV Reefknot stn QLD-1073; 1 specimen, AM P.51118, east of Fitzroy Reef (23°34.92’S 152°11.77’E), 58 m, baited trap, 16 June 1993 – 17 June 1993, J.K. Lowry, P. Freewater, R. T. Springthorpe, MV Reefknot stn QLD-953/ SEAS; 5 specimens, AM P.71610, east of Fitzroy Reef (23°32.47’S 152°16.45’E), 100 m, baited trap, 2 June 1994 – 3 June 1994, J.K. Lowry & K. Dempsey, MV Reefknot stn QLD-1076; 39 specimens, AM P.50764, east of Fitzroy Reef (23°32.47’S 152°16.45’E), 100 m, baited trap, 3 June 1994 – 4 June 1994, J.K. Lowry & K. Dempsey, MV Reefknot stn QLD-1096; 8 specimens, AM P.58238, east of Fitzroy Reef (23°32.47’S 152°16.45’E), 100 m, baited trap, 2 June 1994 – 3 June 1994, J.K. Lowry & K. Dempsey, MV Reefknot stn QLD-1078; 15 specimens, AM P.49629, east of Fitzroy Reef (23°32.47’S 152°16.45’E), 100 m, baited trap, 2 June 1994 – 3 June 1994, J.K. Lowry & K. Dempsey, MV Reefknot stn QLD-1078.

Type locality. East of Fitzroy Reef, Queensland, Australia (23°32.53’S 152°16.45’E), 105 m.

Etymology. The specific epithet “ capricornia ” refers to Capricornia Cays National Park, which includes Fitzroy Reef, the type locality; used as a noun in apposition.

Description. Based on holotype, female, ~ 3.6 mm, AM P.70543. Head lateral cephalic lobe broadly rounded; eyes oval to irregular. Antenna 1 accessory flagellum not forming operculum; primary flagellum with weak 2-field callynophore, robust setae absent from proximal articles; calceoli absent. Antenna 2 peduncle weakly geniculate between articles 3–4; article 3 short; articles 3 to 5 not enlarged, brush setae absent; flagellum short, calceoli absent. Labrum, epistome and upper lip separate; epistome not produced, concave; upper lip slightly produced in front of epistome, rounded. Mandible molar weakly setose with a vestigial triturating surface. Maxilla 1 outer plate setal-tooth 7 present, left and right symmetrical, cuspidate distally; palp distal margin serrate/rugose, without apical robust setae. Maxilliped outer plate apical robust setae absent.

Pereonites 1–7 dorsally smooth. Gnathopod 1 subchelate; coxa large, about as long as coxa 2, subrectangular with straight anterior margin; basis not setose along anterior margin; ischium short; carpus compressed, shorter than propodus, without posterior lobe; propodus large, not setose along posterior margin, palm transverse to slightly acute, irregular, with disk-like process on posterodistal corner. Gnathopod 2 minutely chelate; propodus palm transverse, convex. Pereopod 5 basis about as long as broad, not posteroproximally excavate, posterior margin weakly serrate. Pereopod 7 basis posterodistally produced to less than halfway along merus.

Pleonite 3 without mid-dorsal carina, not produced dorsodistally, posterodorsal margin not produced. Epimeron 3 posterior margin smooth, posteroventral corner narrowly rounded. Urosomite 1 with slight notch dorsally. Uropod 2 inner ramus with slight constriction. Uropod 3 inner and outer rami well developed, outer ramus article 2 long, without plumose setae on rami. Telson entire, longer than wide, apically truncate, without robust setae.

Sexually dimorphic characters. Antenna 1 with strong 2-field callynophore. Antenna 2 peduncle articles 4 and 5 elongate. Gnathopod 1 propodus longer than gnathopod 1 of female, palm with strong, posteromedial robust seta.

Remarks. Gnathopod 1 of P. capricornia differs from all other Paralysianopsis in having a carpus that is nearly compressed and a very broad, strongly subchelate propodus that bears an unusual disk-like process into which the tip of the dactylus appears to close. All other characters fit the diagnosis for Paralysianopsis.

Depth range. 58–105 m.

Distribution. Australia. Great Barrier Reef, Queensland.