Dulichiella tulear Published 2007, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Published, First
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2007
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Malacostraca
Amphipoda
Melitidae
Dulichiella
Dulichiella tulear

description: Dulichiella tulear sp. nov.   
(Fig. 39)  
 Melita appendiculata. – Ledoyer, 1978: 282. – Ledoyer, 1979: 86, fig. 50. – Ledoyer, 1982: 570, fig. 216.   
 Type material. Holotype? subadult male, 5 mm (slide), MNHN Am3964, pente externe du Grand Récif de Tuléar, 29 m depth, Thomassin, stn 172. Paratype: 1 female (slide), MNHN Am3965, pente externe du Grand Récif de Tuléar, stn 240.   
 Type locality. Pente externe du Grand Récif de Tuléar, Madagascar, 29 m depth.   
 Description. Based on Ledoyer, 1979: 86, fig. 50 and Ledoyer, 1982: 570, fig. 216. Body small. Head eyes round; lateral cephalic lobe broad, truncated, anteroventral corner with acute/subacute spine (no apparent seta). Antenna 1 peduncular article 1 shorter than article 2. Antenna 2 peduncular article 2 cone gland reaching at least to end of peduncular article 3; article 4 subequal to article 5. Mandibular palp article 1 about as long as broad, inner margin not produced distally; article 2 subequal to article 3.   
 Gnathopod 1 coxa anteroventral corner not produced, anterior margin convex, posteroventral corner notch present; carpus subequal in length to propodus; propodus small, linear, palm convex, defined by posterodistal corner. Gnathopod 2 coxa posteroventral corner notch present; (larger) propodus distolateral crown with 3 rounded indistinct spines, palm sinusoidal, posterodistal corner produced, straight, with dactylus fitting against corner; dactylus apically blunt; (smaller) merus with sharp posteroventral spine; palm straight, without robust setae, posterodistal corner with 1 robust seta near corner; dactylus without setae on anterior margin. Pereopod 5 dactylar unguis anterior margin with accessory spine. Pereopods 6–7 merus, carpus and propodus unknown. Pereopod 6 basis posterior margin straight; dactylar unguis anterior margin with accessory spine. Pereopod 7 basis posterior margin straight.   
 Pleonite/urosomite dorsal spine formula (7-7-7-5-6-2). Pleonites 1–3 with sparse dorsal setae. Epimeron 2 posteroventral corner acute. Epimeron 3 posteroventral margin weakly serrate distally. Urosomite 1 with spine at midline, no conspicuous medial gape. Urosomite 3 without dorsal setae; with 4 dorsal spines (not confirmed). Uropod 3 outer ramus very long, about 2 x peduncle. Telson with dorsal robust setae.   
 Etymology. Named for the type locality, Grand Récif de Tuléar.   
 Habitat. Marine epibenthic.   
 Remarks. Dulichiella tulear is based on the illustrations of Ledoyer (1979: fig. 50, 1982: fig. 216). The lack of setae on the posteroventral corner of the head and the lack of a basofacial seta on the peduncle of uropod 1 may be oversights. The species appears to be most similar to D. australis and D. oahu. Dulichiella tulear differs from both species in the propodus of the smaller male gnathopod 2 which is more robust and in the posteroventral margin of epimeron 3 which is minutely serrate in D. tulear and smooth in D. australis and D. oahu.   
In Ledoyer (1978, 1982) all material listed as occurring at station 122 is apparently from station 172. Ledoyer figured a male specimen from station 122, but the material examined section only mentions a male from station 172. Station 122 does not appear in the station list.  
 Distribution. Madagascar. Grand Récif de Tuléar (Ledoyer, 1978).
description: Published as part of Published, First, 2007, A revision of the tropical / temperate amphipod genus Dulichiella Stout, 1912, and the description of a new Atlantic genus Verdeia gen. nov. (Crustacea: Amphipoda: Melitidae), pp. 1-62 in Zootaxa 1424 on pages 51-53