Eurypylus rex Kornicker 1996

Eurypylus rex

ETYMOLOGY.—From the Latin rex (king).

HOLOTYPE.—Ovigerous female on slide and in alcohol, QM W20742.

TYPE LOCALITY.—Calliope River and Auckland Creek area, near Gladstone, Queensland, Australia.

PARATYPES.—None.

DISTRIBUTION.—Known only from type locality.

DESCRIPTION OF ADULT FEMALE (Figures 38, 39).—Carapace oval in lateral view, without rostrum or projecting caudal process (Figures 38, 39a,b).

Ornamentation (Figures 38, 39a): Surface with many long stout bristles tapering to slender tip; anterior and ventral margins with closely spaced long slender bristles, most with slightly broader place at to length. Surface without gel-like coat. (Bristles are fragile and it is possible that many bristles have broken off of specimen illustrated (Figure 38).)

Infold: Anterior infold with minute bristle near valve midheight. Posterior infold with 2 setal bristles (Figure 39b). Right valve: posteroventral corner with row of 6 small bristles (Figure 39b); inner edge of infold in vicinity of posteroventral corner with 3 minute bristles. Left valve: inner edge of valve at posteroventral corner straight and set inward from overreaching shell (Figure 39a); bristles of infold obscured.

Carapace Size (length (L), height (H), in mm): QM W20742 (holotype, disarticulated valves): left, L = 0.88, H = 0.73; right, L = 0.87, H = 0.72.

First Antenna (Figure 39c): 1st joint bare. 2nd joint with indistinct spines proximal to dorsal bristle. 3rd and 4th joints fused; 3rd joint with 2 bristles (1 ventral, 1 dorsal); 4th joint with 2 bristles (1 long ventral, 1 short dorsal). Ventral bristle of long 5th joint with small proximal filament. 6th joint fused to 5th joint, with small medial bristle near dorsal margin. 7th joint: a-bristle about 3 times length of bristle of 6th joint; b-bristle longer than a-bristle; c-bristle about same length as bristle of 5th joint, with 2 small marginal filaments. 8th joint: d- and e-bristles slightly shorter than c-bristle, bare with blunt tips; f-bristle about same length as e-bristle, with small proximal filament; g-bristle about same length as c-bristle.

Second Antenna: Protopodite bare (Figure 39d). Endopodite 1-jointed, with 1 short proximal anterior bristle (Figure 39d). Exopodite: 1st joint with minute slightly curved terminal tubular bristle; bristles of joints 2–8 long, without spines or natatory hairs; 9th joint with 2 bare bristles (dorsal bristle very short, about combined length of joints 7 and 8; ventral bristle long); joints 2–7 with medial fan of distinct spines near distal edge.

Mandible (Figure 39e): Coxale endite represented by stout spine with few minute proximal marginal spines; ventral margin of coxale with long hair-like spines. Basale: ventral margin with 6 small bristles; dorsal margin with subterminal spine-like bristle. Exopodite absent. 1st endopodial joint with few distal medial spines, terminal dorsal spines, 1 small spine-like bristle at proximal end of base of stout ventral claw, and lateral row of 6 minute spines along distal edge near dorsal margin (not shown). 2nd endopodial joint with stout ventral claw and 1 small spine-like dorsal bristle at midlength. 3rd endopodial joint with stout terminal claw and 1 small spine-like ventral bristle.

Maxilla: Endite I with 5 bristles; endite II with 4 bristles; endite III with 6 bristles (Figure 39f). Coxale with short dorsal bristle and dorsal fringe of long hairs (Figure 39g). Basale with short bristle near base of exopodite. Exopodite with 2 slender bristles (Figure 39g). Endopodite: 1st joint with spinous alpha-and beta-bristles; 2nd joint with 2 a-bristles (posterior bristle long), 1 c-bristle, and 5 end bristles (middle bristle shorter, anterior bristle pectinate proximally and ringed distally).

Fifth Limb (Figure 39h): Single endite with small bristle. Exopodial joints 1–5 fused, with total of 7 bristles (interpretation: 1st and 2nd joints each with 2 bristles; joints 3–5 with 3 bristles (1 small).

Sixth Limb (Figure 39i): Endite I with 3 small bristles. End joint with anterior projection with 4 spinous bristles (projection could be interpreted to be endite II) followed by 4 or 5 bristles with short spines and then by 2 posterior plumose bristles.

Seventh Limb (Figure 39j): Proximal group with 2 bristles, 1 on each side, each with 3 or 4 bells. Terminal group with 6 bristles, 3 on each side, each with 3–7 bells; bristles without marginal spines. Terminal segment with comb with 6 or 7 teeth (2 long teeth at midwidth and 2 short teeth on one side, 2 or 3 on the other) opposite 1 or 2 small pegs (partly obscured on holotype).

Furca (Figure 39k): Each lamella with 5 claws decreasing in length posteriorly; claws 1 and 2 nonarticulated; each claw with posterior teeth of similar length; claws 1 and 2 with numerous spines along anterior edges; claw 3 with few long hairs along anterior edge; left lamella with few ventral spines following claw 5; right lamella with medial row of hairs just proximal to base of claw 1 and with medial rows of shorter hairs just posterior to anterior edge.

Bellonci Organ (Figure 39l): Elongate, bare, with 3 or 4 weakly developed sutures near midlength; broad terminal segment with minute process at tip.

Eyes: Medial eye bare, with brown pigment (Figure 39l). Lateral eyes absent.

Upper Lip (Figure 39l): Rounded.

Genitalia: Round disk with sclerotized rim on each side of body anterior to furca.

Posterior of Body: Evenly rounded, bare.

Y-Sclerite: Typical for subfamily.

Number of Eggs: QM W20742 (holotype) with 1 egg in marsupium and 4 unextruded eggs; length of extruded egg 0.19 mm, length of 1 unextruded egg 0.13 mm. (Egg in marsupium amber color and with transparent sheath but without visible appendages. It cannot be stated with certainty that it is an ostracode egg.)