Description of Heteromysis (Olivemysis) ningaloo new species and interesting records of H. (Gnathomysis) harpaxoides Bacescu and Bruce (Crustacea: Mysida: Mysidae) from Australian coral reefs

WA Museum Records and Supplements | Updated 7 years ago

ABSTRACT – A new mysid species Heteromysis (Olivemysis) ningaloo sp. nov. (Mysidae: Heteromysinae) is described from Ningaloo Reef in Western Australia. The species differs from the most closely related Australian species, H. (O.) abrucei Bacescu, 1979, H. (O.) macrophthalma Bacescu, 1983, and H. (O.) sexspinosa Murano, 1988, by having a longer antennal scale that is about as long as the peduncle of antenna 1. It also differs from each of these species by a set of additional characters related to the carapace, telson and pereopods. With the inclusion of H. (O.) ningaloo sp. nov., the genus consists of 84 species, 20 of which are recorded in Australian waters. Heteromysis (Gnathomysis) harpaxoides Bacescu and Bruce, 1980, known only from Australia, is recorded for the second time since the original description, now some 1300 km north of the type locality, in the shallows of Lizard Island. Both species were collected in open habitats despite the prevailing view that Heteromysis species are commensal with corals, hermit crabs and other invertebrates. A key to all Australian subgenera and species of Heteromysis is presented.