Skip to main content Skip to main navigation menu Skip to site footer
Type: Articles
Published: 2006-07-06
Page range: 1–35
Abstract views: 85
PDF downloaded: 5

On the Atlantic species of the genus Abyssianira Menzies, 1956 (Isopoda: Asellota: Paramunnidae)

Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Univesidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Universitaria, C1428EHA, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Univesidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Universitaria, C1428EHA, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Crustacea Isopoda Asellota Abyssianira deep sea Atlantic Ocean

Abstract

Two new Atlantic species of the genus Abyssianira are described: A. acutilobi n. sp. and A. lingula n. sp. from off Argentine and Brazilian coasts, respectively. In order to facilitate comparisons the descriptions of two previously known Atlantic species, A. dentifrons Menzies, 1956 and A. argentenensis Menzies, 1962, are completed. Four groups of dorsolateral wart-like elevations are herein described for the first time. These “warts” are present in A. acutilobi, A. lingula and A. dentifrons and they seem to consist of agglutinated sand and detritus. The diagnosis of the genus Abyssianira is emended, and a dichotomous key for these four species is offered.

References

  1. Boyko, C.B. (1997) Catalog of recent type specimens in the Department of Invertebrates, American Museum of Natural History. IV. Crustacea: Isopoda. American Museum Novitates, 3217, 1–39.

    Hessler, R.R. & Thistle, D. (1975) On the place of origin of deep-sea isopods. Marine Biology, 32, 155–165.

    Hessler, R.R., Wilson, G.D. & Thistle, D. (1979) The deep-sea isopods: a biogeographic and phylogenetic overview. Sarsia, 64, 67–75.

    Just, J. (1990) Abyssianiridae, a synonym of Paramunnidae (Crustacea: Isopoda: Asellota), with two new species of Abyssianira from south-eastern Australia. Memoirs of the Museum of Victoria, 50 (2), 403–415.

    Kussakin, O.G. (1973) Peculiarities of the geographical and vertical distribution of marine isopods and the problem of deep-sea fauna origin. Marine Biology, 23, 19–34.

    Menzies, R.J. (1956) New abyssal tropical Atlantic isopods, with observations on their biology. American Museum Novitates, 1798, 1–15.

    Menzies, R.J. (1962) The isopods of abyssal depths in the Atlantic Ocean. In: Barnard, J.L., Menzies, R.J. & Băcescu, M.J. (Eds.), Abyssal Crustacea. Vema Research Series No. 1, Columbia University Press, New York and London, pp. 79–206.

    Menzies, R.J., George, R.Y. & Rowe, G.T. (1973) Abyssal environment and ecology of the world oceans. Wiley-Interscience, New York, 488 pp.

    Wilson, G.D. (1980) New insights into the colonization of the deep sea: Systematics and zoogeography of the Munnidae and the Pleurogoniidae comb. nov. (Isopoda; Janiroidea). Journal of Natural History, 14, 215–236.

    Wilson, G.D.F. (1999) Some of the deep-sea fauna is ancient. Crustaceana, 72 (8), 1019–1030.

    Wolff, T. (1962) The systematics and biology of bathyal and abyssal Isopoda Asellota. Galathea Report, 6, 1–320.