Estuarine species of Orchestia (Crustacea: Amphipoda: Talitroidea) from Britain

Abstract

The Talitridae are recognized as being difficult to identify (for example, Goodhart, 1941; Den Hartog, 1963) and it is thus not surprising that some species have been overlooked. Goodhart (1941) mentioned a new subspecies of Orchestia mediterranea Costa, 1853 which was not described, and the specimens are now lost (C. B. Goodhart, personal communication). During work on the biology of Orchestia in estuaries, two new taxa were discovered and tentatively given subspecific status (Wildish, 1969, 1970). Re-examination of the specimens in the British Museum (Natural History) and National Museum of Natural Sciences, Canada shows that both warrant specific status.