Three new species of Hirondellea (Crustacea, Amphipoda, Hirondelleidae) from hadal depths of the Peru-Chile Trench

Abstract

Three new species of Hirondellea are described from hadal depths of the Peru-Chile Trench in the southeast Pacific: Hirondellea sonne sp. nov., Hirondellea thurstoni sp. nov. and Hirondellea wagneri sp. nov. The main diagnostic characters distinguishing these species are: the shape of the lateral cephalic lobes; the shape of the epistome; the shape and orientation of the palm of gnathopods 1 and 2; the shape of the posteroventral corner of epimeron 3; and the presence or absence of an incision on the outer ramus of uropod 2. This brings the known number of species in the genus to 20. The new species are fully described and illustrated, and are diagnosed against all other species in the Hirondelleidae. A key to the world species is provided.

http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:02BC79A0-FE30-4FE5-A8B8-2EC131C1342C

Key words:

• Amphipoda
• Crustacea
• hadal
• Hirondellea
• Lysianassoidea
• new species
• Peru-Chile Trench

Acknowledgements

Thanks are due to the following people for their help: Mike Thurston for comments on the plates and confirming the identity of Hirondellea collected during the Atacama Trench International Expedition; Ryan Eustace for his help in preparing the plates for illustration; Milly Sharkey for photographing the fresh material; the NIWA and AM collection management teams; Jim Lowry for use of the World Hirondelleidae database; and finally, the scientists and crew of the RV Sonne cruise SO209, especially Alan Jamieson and Kota Kitazawa.

Funding

The author's participation in the cruise was facilitated by a travel grant from the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA), New Zealand. HADEEP was supported by the Nippon Foundation, Japan (2009765188) and NERC, UK (NE/E007171/1).

Editorial responsibility: Matz Berggren

Additional information

Funding

Funding: The author's participation in the cruise was facilitated by a travel grant from the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA), New Zealand. HADEEP was supported by the Nippon Foundation, Japan (2009765188) and NERC, UK (NE/E007171/1).