Pseudoproto fallax Mayer 1903

(Fig. 15)

Pseudoproto fallax Mayer, 1903: 27, pl. 6, fig. 22; pl. 9, figs 5, 52. — Mayer, 1912: 8, fig. 3. — Utinomi, 1947: 69. — Guerra-García, 2006: 436, fig. 33.

Material examined. 1 premature female, ~ 1.75 mm and 1 female, ~ 2 mm, AM P61734 (QLD 1475).

Type locality. Koh Kauv and Koh Chuen, Thailand.

Description. Based on premature female, ~ 1.75 mm and ovigerous female, AM P61734

Head and pereonites slender. Head/pereonite 1 dorsal margin convex; eye large, distinctive. Antenna 1 well developed; slender, 0.33 x body length to 0.4 x body length; peduncle articles 2 and 3 subequal in length, article 3 straight; accessory flagellum absent; flagellum 0.75 x peduncular length or subequal in length to peduncle, with more than 2 articles. Antenna 2 0.8 x antenna 1 length, slender; peduncle with several feeble setae, or without setae; flagellum about 1/4 (0.25 x) of peduncular length or 0.4 x peduncular length, with 2 articles. Mandible molar absent; palp 3–articulate, palp setal formula with 1 to 4 large distal setae. Maxilliped inner plate slightly smaller than or subequal to outer plate.

Pereon. Pereonites 2 to 7 not fused; pereonite 5 longest. Pereonite 1 without projections. Gnathopod 1 distinctly smaller than gnathopod 2; propodus triangular, palm begins about 1/3 along posterior margin, smooth, without large, rounded knob proximally; dactylus curved, inner margin smooth. Pereonite 2 without projections. Gnathopod 2 situated toward anterior end or near middle of pereonite 2; basis subequal in length to pereonite 2, without anterodistal projection; ischium without anterodistal projection; propodus elongate, large, anterodistal margin convex or straight, without anterodistal triangular projection, without projections along mid-anterior margin; palm without proximal cavity filled with membranous sack, palm margin slightly convex, smooth, without hook-like projection at base of dactylus, sinus or midpalmar projection. Pereonite 3 without projections. Pereopod 3 well developed, with 6 articles. Pereonite 4 without projections. Pereopod 4 well developed, with 6 articles. Pereopod 5 well developed, with 5 articles, very slender. Pereopods 6 and 7 simple. Pereopod 7 similar to pereopod 6.

Gills on pereonites 2 to 4. Pereonite 3 gill length about 1/4 of corresponding pereonite, straight, ovate. Pereonite 4 gill length about 1/5 of corresponding pereonite or length about 1/4 of corresponding pereonite, straight, ovate.

Habitat. Filamentous algal turf attached to dead, thick, branching hard coral, 8 m depth.

Remarks. Two specimens (1 female and 1 premature female) from Lizard Island were identified as P. fallax after consulting the type material of this species, on the basis of the following characters: 3 pairs of gills, flagellum of antenna 2 with 2 articles; pereopods 3 and 4 6–articulate; pereopod 5 5–articulate with the distal article elongate and provided with setae distally (Guerra-García 2006).

Distribution. Australia. Queensland: Coconut Beach, Lizard Island (Guerra-García 2006). Western Australia: Shark Bay (McCain & Steinberg 1970). Thailand. Koh Kauv and Koh Chuen (Mayer 1903).