Caprellina judyae Peart & Woods, 2025, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Peart, Rachael A.
name: Woods, Chris
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2025
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Malacostraca
Amphipoda
Caprellidae
Caprellina
Caprellina judyae

description: Caprellina judyae sp. nov.
(Figs. 1, 22–24)
Type material. Holotype: NIWA 155541, male (11.5 mm), KAH1706/49, Piwhane / Spirits Bay, Northland, New Zealand, 34°22.5498’S 172°46.17’E, 42 m, coll. NIWA, 01/06/2017. Paratypes: NIWA 155542, female (9 mm), KAH1706/ 29, Piwhane / Spirits Bay, Northland, New Zealand, 34°22.95’S 172°46.698’E, 32 m, coll. NIWA, 30/05/2017. NIWA 155542, male (13 mm), KAH1706/ 29, Piwhane / Spirits Bay, Northland, New Zealand, 34°22.95’S 172°46.698’E, 32 m, coll. NIWA, 30/05/2017.
Other material examined. NIWA 155543, 4 males, 2 females, 6–7 mm, KAH1706/ 95, Piwhane / Spirits Bay, Northland, New Zealand, 34°22.98’S 172°48.042’E, 42 m, coll. NIWA, 04/06/2017; NIWA 155544, 1 male (6 mm), KAH170664, Piwhane / Spirits Bay, Northland, New Zealand, 34°21.54’S 172°49.5’E, 55 m, coll. NIWA, 02/06/2017; NIWA 155545, 3 males, 2 females, 6–7 mm, KAH1706/ 72, Piwhane / Spirits Bay, Northland, New Zealand, 34°23.718’S 172°43.17’E, 35 m, coll. NIWA, 02/06/2017; NIWA 155546, 1 male (5 mm), 1 juvenile (4 mm), KAH1706/ 35, Piwhane / Spirits Bay, Northland, New Zealand, 34°22.9902’S 172°49.05’E, 43 m, coll. NIWA, 31/05/2017; NIWA 155547, 1 specimen, juvenile, 4 mm, KAH1706/ 70, Piwhane / Spirits Bay, Northland, New Zealand, 34°23.675’S 172°45.96’E, 31 m, coll. NIWA, 02/06/2017; NIWA 155548, 1 juvenile (6 mm), KAH1706/ 35, Piwhane / Spirits Bay, Northland, New Zealand, 34°22.99’S 172°49.05’E, 43 m, coll. NIWA, 31/05/2017; NIWA 155549, 1 juvenile (6 mm), KAH1706/ 23, Piwhane / Spirits Bay, Northland, New Zealand, 34°23.178’S 172°45.222’E, 36 m, coll. NIWA, 30/05/2017; NIWA 155550, 1 juvenile (3 mm), KAH1706/ 88, Piwhane / Spirits Bay, Northland, New Zealand, 34°22.98’S 172°49.518’E, 45 m, coll. NIWA, 03/06/2017; NIWA 155551, 2 males (5–6 mm), KAH1706/ 109, Piwhane / Spirits Bay, Northland, New Zealand, 34°21.642’S 172°47.622’E, 55 m, coll. NIWA, 04/06/2017; NIWA 155552, 1 male (7 mm), KAH1706/ 30, Piwhane / Spirits Bay, Northland, New Zealand, 34°23.01’S 172°47.022’E, 32 m, coll. NIWA, 30/05/2017; NIWA 155553, 1 male (6 mm), KAH1706/ 101, Piwhane / Spirits Bay, Northland, New Zealand, 34°22.3098’S 172°46.1898’E, 45 m, coll. NIWA, 04/06/2017; NIWA 155554, 5 females (4–7 mm), 15 males (5–8 mm), KAH1706/ 29, Piwhane / Spirits Bay, Northland, New Zealand, 34°22.95’S 172°46.698’E, 32 m, coll. NIWA, 30/05/2017; NIWA 155555, 1 male (6 mm), KAH1706/ 100, Piwhane / Spirits Bay, Northland, New Zealand, 34°22.44’S 172°45.72’E, 43 m, coll. NIWA, 04/06/2017; NIWA 155556, 1 male (6 mm), KAH1706/ 14, Piwhane / Spirits Bay, Northland, New Zealand, 34°22.2498’S 172°44.4702’E, 44 m, NIWA, 29/05/2017; NIWA 155557, 1 male (7 mm), KAH1706/69, Piwhane / Spirits Bay, Northland, New Zealand, 34°23.7498’S 172°46.818’E, 31 m, coll. NIWA, 02/06/2017; NIWA 155558, 1 male (7 mm), 1 juvenile (4 mm), KAH1706/ 26, Piwhane / Spirits Bay, Northland, New Zealand, 34°23.7498’S 172°44.94’E, 33 m, coll. NIWA, 30/05/2017; NIWA 155559, 1 male (6 mm), Z15829, Breaker Bay, Wellington, New Zealand, 41°19.8’S 174°49.92’E, on Macrocystis sp., 0–1 m, coll. A.-N. Lörz & M. Theil, 30/01/2013.
Type locality. Piwhane / Spirits Bay, Northland, North Island, New Zealand, 34°22.5498’S 172°46.17’E.
Etymology. This species is named for Dr Judy Sutherland who has tirelessly worked on the sequencing of numerous caprellids the first author sent her way. She has also committed countless hours training the author in the whys and wherefores of molecular phylogenetics.
Diagnosis. Head rounded, no projection; body smooth and robust. Antenna 1 approximately ½ of body; peduncle articles 1–2 narrow, sparsely setose, longer than flagellum. Antenna 2 shorter than peduncle of antenna 1, no dense setae on ventral margin. Gnathopod 1 small and robust, with palmar margin of propodus setose with five proximal grasping spines; palm somewhat convex; dactylus smooth but setose. Pereonite 2 without ventral projection. Gnathopod 2 in male arising at midlength of pereonite 2; basis subequal in length to propodus and longer than pereonite 2; palmar region of propodus slightly convex and slightly sinuous, with subacute corner mid posterior margin defining the palm, this corner armed with three robust setae/ grasping spines; palm lined with small robust setae; dactylus curved, reaching palm corner, inner margin smooth and lined with small setae. Gnathopod 2 in female inserted anteriorly on pereonite 2; palm of propodus convex. Gills small and oval, longer than wide. Peropod 5 reduced with three articles, articles 1 and 2 straight sided. Pereopods 6–7 similar in size and length; propodus narrow, palmar margin of propodus concave bearing short dense setae with three grasping spines. Appendages without downy covering.
Description. (Based on holotype, male, 11.5 mm, and paratype male, 13 mm). Pereonites increasing in length with pereonite 5 the longest and pereonites 1 and 7 similar lengths (1: 2: 2.3: 2.9: 3.8: 3.2: 1.1), pereonite 5 about 1.3 × pereonite 4 and 1.2 × pereonite 6. Gills oval, length about 2.5 × width. Antenna 1 proportion of articles and flagellum changing with size. Antenna 1 peduncle article 1: 2: 3: flagellum is 1: 1.8: 1.6: 2, with nine articles in flagellum. Antenna 2 0.3 × antenna 1; flagellum with four articles. Mandibles with three-articulate palp; distal article with 5 setae (in the form of 1 + × + 1, where × = 3) and article constricted to form distal setose beak shape; penultimate article with five–nine setae.
Mandibular molar absent. Right mandible incisor with five teeth, lacinia mobilis slightly serrated, followed by accessory plates and setal row containing eight–nine serrated setae. Left mandible incisor with five teeth, lacinia mobilis with eight small teeth, no accessory plates or setal row. Maxilla 1 outer plate with five teeth; distal article of palp setose, with six robust setae apically and seven slender plumose setae. Maxilla 2 inner plate slightly shorter than outer plate, both apically setose. Maxilliped inner plate with two slightly serrate robust setae; outer plate setose; palp article 4 about ½ length article 3, with distal short, rounded setose projection; dactylus with setose inner margin. Gnathopod 1 basis longer than ischium, merus and carpus combined. Propodus rounded to subtriangular; palm slightly convex lined with row of robust setae defined by slight corner and five toothed robust setae (also called grasping spines). Inner margin of dactylus smooth but setose. Gnathopod 2 inserted mid pereonite 2; basis longer than pereonite 2. Ischium as long as merus, both longer than carpus (1.2 ×); propodus subequal in length to basis, with subacute corner mid-posterior margin defining palm, this corner armed with 3 robust setae/ grasping spines; palm slightly convex and slightly sinuous and lined with small robust setae; dactylus curved, reaching palm corner, inner margin smooth and lined with small setae.
Pereopods 3 and 4 absent. Pereopod 5 reduced to three articles; articles 1 and 2 with smooth edges, article 2 with five lateral setae, article 3 curved as dactylus with two marginal setae (one plumose). Pereopods 6 and 7 subequal in robustness, similar in length, articles long and narrow; propodus almost rectangular, narrow, palm defining corner ⅓ along margin armed with cluster of three large robust setae/grasping spines; palm concave and lined with numerous robust setae, posterior margin lined with simple slender setae.
Penes as long as wide.Abdomen with pair of small protuberances, as reduced pleopods, apically setose, and two pairs of uropods. Uropod 1 cylindrical and curved inwards; ramus longer than peduncle, margin serrate. Uropod 2 shorter than uropod 1, serrate without ramus.
Variation: male, 13 mm. Antenna 1 approximately ⅔ body; proportion of articles and flagellum changing with size (1: 2.6: 2.3: 1.4 with 3 articles in flagellum). Antenna 2 with five articles. Gnathopod 2 basis greatly longer than pereonite 2, longer than propodus, ischium shorter than merus (0.8 ×), merus shorter than carpus (0.8 ×); propodus long, narrow and robust (length 2.75 × width), posterior margin with palm defining rounded tooth ⅗ along margin bearing two robust setae (grasping spines) and four slender simple setae; palm slightly concave, smooth and without setae, with pre-dactylar acute tooth at the join of the propodus and dactylus; dactylus about ⅔ length of palm, curved with smooth inner margin and setae on outer margin.
Female paratype, 9 mm. Gnathopod 1 basis subequal in length to ischium + merus + carpus. Gnathopod 2 basis shorter than pereonite 2 and inserted at the anterior end of pereonite 2, basis longer than propodus; ischium shorter than merus (0.8 ×), merus shorter than carpus (0.7 ×); propodus with prominent palm defining corner armed with 3 large robust setae (grasping spines) approximately ⅖ along posterior margin; palm sinuous and lined with both robust and slender setae; dactylus just reaching to the defining corner.
Distribution. Piwhane/Spirits Bay, Northland, and a possible record from Breaker Bay, Wellington, North Island, New Zealand.
Remarks. Caprellina judyae sp. nov. belongs to a complex of species similar to Caprellina longicollis Nicolet, 1849. Caprellina longicollis was long thought to be a southern cosmopolitan species, but recently, has been challenged (Takeuchi pers. com.); this species and the genus are currently being reviewed by Takeuchi. Caprellina was originally described from New Zealand waters by Thomson (1879), but the type species, Caprellina longicollis, was described from Chilean waters, with type material now lost. Guerra-García (2001b) redescribed this species based on Chilean material and compared it to the other species in this genus, C. spiniger Barnard, 1916 (South Africa) and C. bispinosa Müller, 1990 (Society Islands). McCain (1969) reported Caprellina longicollis as the most common of all New Zealand caprellids in his samples and noted a range encompassing all the New Zealand coast. Guerra-García annotated the species from Tasmania, Western Australia and subantarctic New Zealand, and, although maintained Caprellina longicollis sensu lato, pointed out morphological variation among populations (Guerra-García 2001b, 2003, 2004; Guerra-García & Takeuchi 2004). De Broyer et al. (2004), based on these morphological differences, suggested the existence of a species complex within Caprellina longicollis sensu lato, and indicated that specimens from Chile, Tasmania and New Zealand belonged to, at least, three different species. Indeed, the present study reveals that there is variation in the morphology between C. judyae, C. longicollis (reported from New Zealand), the redescription of C. longicollis from Chile, and material noted from Tasmania, Australia. Unfortunately, despite redescribing C. longicollis in early 2002, Guerra-García annotated the species from Tasmania. There are differences, however, in the pereonite proportions, the antennae proportions, the shape of the pereopod 6 and 7 palm, and the mouthparts of Caprellina longicollis from different regions (Table 4). Whatever the status of C. longicollis from each of the studied regions, C. judyae sp. nov. is readily distinguished from each of these, warranting recognition as a new species.
description: Published as part of Peart, Rachael A. & Woods, Chris, 2025, Caprellidae (Crustacea: Amphipoda) of Aotearoa New Zealand waters: a constantly changing landscape, pp. 1-65 in Zootaxa 5568 (1) on pages 45-50, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5568.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/14703588