Photis bulla Sir & White, 2025, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Sir, Sally J.
name: White, Kristine N.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2025
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Malacostraca
Amphipoda
Photidae
Photis
Photis bulla

description: Photis bulla sp. nov.
Figs 18, 19, 20, 32 F
Photis sp. C: LeCroy 2000: 157, fig. 185.
Type locality.
Bocas del Toro, Panama: Crawl Caye, 9.2475°N, 82.1290°W, depth 1.5–3 m, among Halimeda.
Material examined.
Holotype: Panama • 1 ♀, 2.4 mm; Bocas del Toro, Crawl Caye; 9.2475°N, 82.1290°W; depth 1.5–3 m, among coral rubble; 11 Aug 2021; K. N. White leg.; USNM 1743963. Paratype: Panama • 1 ♂, 1.2 mm; Bocas del Toro, Crawl Caye; 9.2376°N, 82.1438°W; depth 5 m, among Halimeda; 12 Aug 2021; K. N. White leg; USNM 1743964. Other material: Panama • 2 ♀, 1.8–2.2 mm; Bocas del Toro, Crawl Caye; 9.2376°N, 82.1438°W; depth 4.6 m, among coral rubble; 11 Aug 2021; K. N. White leg.; USNM 1743966 • 1 juvenile, 1.2 mm; Bocas del Toro, Crawl Caye; 9.2475°N, 82.1290°W; depth 5 m, among Halimeda; 12 Aug 2021; K. N. White leg; USNM 1743965.
Diagnosis.
Head ocular lobe rounded distally. Coxae 1–4 ventral margins lined with long setae; coxa 1 anteroventral margin slightly produced with gap in marginal setae. Gnathopod 1 carpus slightly shorter than propodus in length, anterior margin subquadrate proximally. Gnathopod 2 propodus with stout robust seta at palmar angle, dactyl, flexor margin serrate. Pereopods 5–7 basis anterior margin with row of long submarginal plumose setae. Pereopods 6 and 7 propodus each with posterodistal cluster of setae surpassing length of dactylus. Uropod 3 inner ramus with minute spinule.
Description.
(Female 2.4 mm). Head. Head, ocular lobe rounded distally. Maxilliped, inner plate apical margin lined with plumose robust setae; outer plate with row of marginal sagittate-shaped robust setae and row of submarginal simple setae; palp 4 - articulate, articles 1–3 inner margins lined long thin setae, article 4 with stout setae. Upper lip apically setose. Lower lip inner and outer lobes rounded, apically setose; outer lobe with few thick bifurcate setae. Maxilla 1 outer plate with four apical robust setae and four slender setae; inner plate with nine apical robust setae. Maxilla 2 inner plate outer margin lined with setae, submarginal row of long setae; outer plate apical margin lined with long plumose setae. Mandibles similar, molar small; palp tri-articulate, articles 2 and 3 with plumose setae.
Pereon. Coxae 1–4 lined with long ventral setae; coxa 1 anteroventral margin slightly produced with gap in marginal setae. Gnathopod 1 subchelate; basis unexpanded, margins lined with long setae; carpus slightly shorter than propodus; propodus palm serrate with one robust seta at proximal margin; dactylus serrate. Gnathopod 2 similar to gnathopod 1 with deep palmer excavation just before robust seta at palmar angle. Pereopods 3 and 4 posterior margins of articles 2–4 lined with long plumose setae. Pereopod 5 basis length 1.2 × width; dactylus stout. Pereopods 5–7 basis with row of submarginal plumose setae. Pereopods 6 and 7 propodus each with posterodistal cluster of setae surpassing length of dactylus; dactylus with accessory claw.
Pleon. Epimera 1–3 distal margins rounded. Uropod 1 peduncle subequal in length with inner ramus; inner ramus 1.1 × length of outer ramus, both rami with marginal and apical robust setae. Uropod 2 peduncle 1.1 × length to inner ramus, peduncle with two strong distomedial robust setae; inner ramus 1.3 × length of outer ramus, each ramus with one marginal robust seta and two or three apical robust setae. Uropod 3 peduncle 5.3 × length of inner ramus; inner ramus 0.3 × length of outer ramus, with small apical spinule; outer ramus bi-articulate, terminal article with many long setae. Telson apex rounded, subtriangular.
Male (paratype 1.2 mm). Similar in all aspects to the female with the exception of the following: Gnathopod 1 propodus palm with excavation. Gnathopod 2 with process near insertion of dactylus. Pereopods 3, 5, and 7 missing. Pereopod 4 sparsely setose. Pereopod 6 lacking plumose setae on basis.
Etymology.
After the Latin bulla, meaning knob, boss, stud, bubble and referring to the anteroventral projection on the anteroventral margin of coxa 1 of this species.
Distribution.
U. S. A.: Florida: Hutchinson Island to the Florida Keys, Florida Bay to Perdido Key (LeCroy 2000); Panama: Bocas del Toro (present study).
Ecology and remarks.
This species occurs among coral rubble and Halimeda at depths of 1.5–3 m. Panamanian specimens agree closely with the description of Photis sp. C of LeCroy (2000) with the exception of unequal rami on uropod 1 and a more rounded telson apex. Panamanian specimens have a small spinule on the inner ramus of uropod 3, which LeCroy noted as variable. Photis bulla sp. nov. most closely resembles Photis spinicarpa Shoemaker, 1942 based on gnathopod 1 carpus subquadrate proximally, gnathopod 2 with stout seta at palmar angle, gnathopod 2 dactyl flexor margin serrate, and pereopod 5 basis anterior margin with plumose setae but can be distinguished based on the absence of robust setae on upper proximal margin of gnathopod 1 carpus, male gnathopod 2 basis and carpus without anterodistal process, and pereopod 3 merus unexpanded. Photis bulla sp. nov. differs from Photis probolion sp. nov. in the following characters: coxa 1 with setae; male coxae 3 and 4 without stridulating ridges; female pereopod 5 with submarginal plumose setae; uropods 1 and 2 outer ramus with marginal setae. Photis bulla sp. nov. differs from all remaining described Photis species in having coxa 1 anteroventral margin slightly produced with gap in marginal setae. Additionally, the new species differs from Photis melanica and Photis butalus sp. nov. in having a posterodistal cluster of setae surpassing length of dactylus on pereopods 6 and 7. Live specimens are a mottled purple-brown color with purple-brown stripes on distal ends of antennae.
description: Published as part of Sir, Sally J. & White, Kristine N., 2025, Caribbean Amphipoda (Crustacea) of Panama. Part IV: parvorder Caprellidira, pp. 151-205 in ZooKeys 1234 on pages 151-205, DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1234.145826