Abstract
Thylakogaster namibiensis sp. nov., a new deep-sea species belonging to the family Haplomunnidae Wilson, 1976 is described from the southeast Atlantic Ocean. The differences of the new species to the other species of the genus Thylakogaster Wilson and Hessler, 1974 are discussed. Main characters distinguishing T. namibiensis sp. nov. from its congeners are the presence of cuticular spines on the lateral margins of the pereonites 1–7, the low number of spines on the pleotelson, and the number of five terminal flagellar articles bearing aesthetascs on the antenna 1 of the copulatory male. The new species, T. namibiensis, is the first member of this genus found in the southeast Atlantic Ocean and at a depth of 5415 m, it is also the deepest which a member of the genus has ever been found.References
Balzer, W., Alheit, J., Emeis, K.-C., Lass, H.U. & Türkay, M. (Eds.) (2006) South-East Atlantic 2000, Cruise No. 48, 6 July 2000–3 November 2000, Walvis Bay–Walvis Bay. Meteor-Berichte, Universität Hamburg, Leitstelle METEOR, 06–5, 5–44.
Brandt, A., Brenke, N., Andres, H.-G., Brix, S., Guerrero-Kommritz, J., Mühlenhardt-Siegel U. & Wägele J.-W. (2004) Diversity of peracarid crustaceans (Malacostraca) from the abyssal plain of the Angola Basin. Organisms Diversity & Evolution, 5, 105–112.
Brenke, N. (2005) An Epibenthic Sledge for operations on marine soft bottom and bedrock. Marine Technology Society, 39(2). 10–21.
Cunha, M.R. & Wilson, G.D.F. (2003) Haplomunnidae (Crustacea, Isopoda) reviewed, with a description of an intact specimen of Thylakogaster Wilson & Hessler 1974. Zootaxa, 326. 1–16.
Harrison, K. (1988) Deep sea Asellota (Crustacea, Isopoda) of the Rockall Trough: Preliminary faunal analysis. Ophelia, 28(3). 169–182.
Hessler, R.R. (1970) The Desmosomatidae (Isopoda, Asellota) of the Gay Head-Bermuda transect. Bulletin of the Scripps Institute of Oceanography, 15, 1–63.
Just, J. (2003) Haplodendron buzwilsoni gen. nov., sp. nov., the first record of Haplomunnidae from the southern Indo-Pacific (Isopoda: Asellota). Zootaxa, 372, 1–10.
Lambshead, P.J.D., Brown, C.J., Ferrero, T.J., Mitchell, N.J., Smith, C.R., Hawkins L.E. & Tietjen, J. (2002) Latitudinal diversity patterns of deep-sea marine nematodes and organic fluxes: a test from the central equatorial Pacific. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 236, 129–135.
Lincoln, R.J. (1985) Deep-sea asellote isopods of the north-east Atlantic: the Family Haploniscidae. Journal of Natural History, 19, 655–695.
Wägele, J.W. (1983) On the homology of antennal articles in Isopoda. Crustaceana, 45(1), 31–37.
Watling, L. (1989) A classification system for crustacean setae based on the homology concept. In: Felgenhauer, B.E., Watling, L. & Thistle, A.B. (eds.). Functional morphology of feeding and grooming in Crustacea. Crustacean Issues, 6, 15–26.
Wilson, G.D. (1976) The systematics and evolution of Haplomunna and its relatives (Isopoda, Haplomunnidae, New family). Journal of Natural History, 10, 569–580.
Wilson, G.D. & Hessler, R.R. (1974) Some unusual Paraselloidea (Isopoda, Asellota) from the deep benthos of the Atlantic. Crustaceana, 27(1), 47–67.
Wilson, G.D. & Hessler, R.R. (1980) Taxonomic characters in the morphology of the genus Eurycope (Isopoda Asellota), with a redescription of Eurycope cornuta (G.O. Sars, 1864). Cahiers de Biologie Marine, 21, 241–263.
Wolff, T. (1962) The systematics and biology of bathyal and abyssal Isopoda Asellota. Galathea Report Volume 6. Scientific Results of the Danish Deep-Sea Expedition Round the World 1950–52. Danish Science Press, LTD. Copenhagen. 320 pp.