Nealella muelleri Kornicker & Caraion 1980

Nealella muelleri

ETYMOLOGY.—The species is named for Geza Müller, Romanian Institute of Marine Researches, Constanta-Agigea who helped to collect the unique specimen.

HOLOTYPE.—USNM 157412, 1 ovigerous female, unique specimen.

TYPE-LOCALITY.—Near the marine biology station of Dar es Salaam University, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

DESCRIPTION OF ADULT FEMALE (Figures 10–13, Plates 4–7).—Carapace elongate with prominent rostrum and caudal process; ventral margin smoothly arched but with small projection on anteroventral corner; dorsal margin arched at anterior one-third of valve; rostrum flattened anteriorly; carapace with lateral overhang along ventral margin of valve and ventral margin of rostrum; posterior part of dorsal rib forming narrow alar projection.

Ornamentation: Each valve with rib along ventral and dorsal margins, and rib just within ventral margin with anterior end reaching anterior margin of valve (Figure 10). Surface with abundant fossae (Plates 4, 5), some bearing digitate papillae (Plate 5c, e), others with smooth papillae (Plate 5d, f); surface between fossae with minute pits (Plate 5a–d). Bristles scattered over valve surface, and especially abundant along anterior half of ventral margin (Plate 6a, c).

Infold: Rostral infold with 3 proximal, divided bristles forming row, dorsal of these stouter than others (Figures 11a, Plate 6b, e). Caudal process with 5 setose bristles proximal to middle (Figure 11b, Plate 6d, f) (dorsal of these stouter than others), and about 15 small bristles along inner margin of infold (Figure 11b, Plates 6d, 7a, b). 2 minute bristles present at distal edge of caudal process near middle (Figure 11b; Plate 6d), and 1 larger bristle at each corner. Anteroventral infold with 4 slender bristles forming row near middle of infold. Small bristles present along posterior half of ventral infold.

Selvage: Selvage along anteroventral, ventral, and anterodorsal margins with wide lamellar prolongation with marginal fringe (Plates 6a, c, d, 7c, d); wide lamellar prolongation also present along dorsal margin of caudal process.

Central Adductor Muscle Attachments: Consisting of numerous ovoid attachments.

Size: USNM 157412, length 1.94 mm, height 0.91 mm.

First Antenna (Figure 12a, b): 1st joint bare. 2nd joint with 1 dorsal midbristle and short spines forming lateral row along distal margin. 3rd joint fused to 4th, with 2 bristles, 1 ventral, 1 dorsal. 4th joint with 3 bristles, 1 dorsal, 2 ventral. Sensory bristle of long 5th joint with 2 small marginal filaments and spine at tip. Medial bristle of minute 6th joint spinous, about same length as joints 5–8. 7th joint: a-bristle longer than bristle of 6th joint; b-bristle about three-fourths length of a-bristle, with minute marginal filament near middle; c-bristle about same length as sensory bristle of 5th joint, with 2 short marginal filaments, and spine at tip. 8th joint: d- and e-bristles bare with blunt tips, both bristles shorter than c-bristle; f- and g-bristles about same length as c-bristle, each with 2 short marginal filaments, and spine at tip.

Second Antenna (Figure 12c, d): Protopodite bare. Endopodite 2 jointed: 1st joint with 2 small proximal anterior bristles; small 2nd joint with long spinous subterminal bristle. Exopodite 9-jointed: 1st joint with minute bent medial spine on distal margin; joints 2–8 with spines forming row along distal margins, but no basal spines; bristles of joints 2–8 with proximal ventral spines and distal natatory hairs; 9th joint with 3 bristles (1 ventral with natatory hairs, 1 medial with short hairs, 1 dorsal, very small, bare).

Mandible (Figure 13a-c): Coxale: endite consisting of 1 stout pointed process with 2 marginal spines, and 4 smaller processes near base; long hairs present ventral to base of endite, and also along ventral margin of coxale distal to endite. Basale: medial side with 4 bristles on, or close to, ventral margin; lateral side with 3 small bristles near ventral margin; dorsal margin with 1 mid-bristle and 2 subterminal bristles. Exopodite minute with 1 long spinous terminal bristle. 1st endopodial joint: dorsal corner with spines forming row; ventral margin with 2 spinous claws and 1 small bristle. 2nd endopodial joint: ventral margin with 2 stout claws; dorsal margin with 1 claw-like bristle near middle and 2 small spinous bristles with bases on medial side; lateral side with 1 short spinous bristle near base of ventral claw. 3rd endopodial joint with 2 small ventral bristles (Figure 13c), 1 small medial bristle, and 3 claws (dorsal claw minute and medial to large middle claw; ventral claw about one-half length of middle claw).

Maxilla (Figure 13d, e): 3 endites present: endites I and II each with 6 or 7 bristles, some pectinate; endite III with 5 or 6 bristles. Coxale or basale with bristle near dorsal margin. 1 bristle present near base of endite III. 1st endopodial joint with spinous alpha- and beta-bristles. End joint with 2 small a-bristles, 1 small c-bristle, and 5 pectinate terminal bristles. Exopodite with 3 bristles, 2 long, 1 short.

Fifth Limb (Figure 13f): Epipodial appendage with 38 bristles. Single endite with 1 short bristle. Exopodite: 1st and 2nd joints each with 2 or 3 bristles; 3rd joint with 2 short bristles on inner lobe and 1 or 2 short bristles on outer lobe; 4th joint with 3 bristles (2 short, 1 long); 5th joint consisting of distinct lobe with 2 terminal bristles.

Sixth Limb (Figure 13g, h): Endite I with 1 long and 2 short bristles; endite II with 3 long bristles; endite III with 4 long bristles; end joint with 4 long bristles forming cluster (endite IV?) followed by short space, 2 bristles, long space, and then 2 long bristles (represented only by sockets on fragmented limbs of unique specimen) and 1 short bristle; limb hirsute.

Seventh Limb (Figure 13i, j): Each limb with 10 proximal bristles (5 on each side), each with 3–5 bells, and 6 terminal bristles (5 short, 1 extremely long); short terminal bristles each with 5–8 bells; long terminal bristle about twice diameter of other bristles, with 4 or 5 constrictions near middle, some with spines (probably represent vestigal bells), and with long tapering segment distal to constrictions. Terminus consisting of comb with 3 or 4 faint teeth opposite 1 or 2 minute inward slanting pegs.

Furca (Figure 12e): Each lamella with 2 stout claws followed by 3 or 4 weak claws; claw 1 not separated from lamella by suture; long hairs present at base of claw 1; minute spines present along anterior margins of lamellae; teeth present along posterior margins of claws.

Eyes: Lateral eyes small unpigmented, each with 2 small ommatidia (Figure 13k); medial eye pigmented. slightly larger than lateral eye (Figures 12a, 13k).

Bellonci Organ (Figure 12a, 13k): Elongate with about 7 proximal sutures, with rounded tip with small terminal spine (all sutures not shown in Figure 12a).

Upper Lip (Figure 13k): Helmet shaped.

Eggs: USNM 157412 with 5 eggs in marsupium.

COMPARISONS.—The new species N. muelleri differs from N. monothrix in having the lower lateral rib intersecting the anteroventral valve margin, and in having 2 instead of no bristles on the ventral margin of the 4th joint of the 1st antenna. The 7th limb of the unique female of N. muelleri bears 10 proximal bristles compared to 6 on the female N. monothrix. N. muelleri differs from N. ornithoides (Brady, 1902) in having 2 instead of 4 ventral bristles on the 4th joint of the 1st antenna.

Nealella species A

Sarsiella species Müller, 1906:31, pl. 4:10–18.-Kornicker and Cohen, 1978:490 [referred species to subfamily Dantyinae].

MATERIAL.—USNM 157789, 1 juvenile female from the reef flat off Palfrey, Lizard Island, Australia, depth 12 m.