Muvi schmallenbergi gen. nov., sp. nov. (Crustacea, Tanaidacea) from the southeast Australian coast, with comments on the distribution and habitat preferences of Chondropodinae

Abstract

Based on material collected from the shelf off southeast Australia (offshore of Portland), a new genus and new species, Muvi schmallenbergi gen. nov., sp. nov., of the tanaidacean family Metapseudidae, is described. Muvi is distinguishable from other genera within the subfamily Chondropodinae by having equally long antennular flagella. It also differs from other Chondropodinae by a combination of characters such as eyelobes with a group of visual elements, rostrum with smooth lateral edges, pereonites with lateral processes and pleotelson lacking lateral process, antennule article-1 with a single apophysis, maxillule inner lobe well-developed, labial palp bearing three distal setae, cheliped exopod well-developed and setose, pereopod-1 coxa with distinct apophysis, pleopods in five pairs, and uropod basis without apophysis. The genus Deidamiapseudes Sganga & Roccatagliata, 2016 is moved from Chondropodinae (Metapseudidae) to Apseudoidea incertae sedis. An identification key for the genera within Chondropodinae is given, and their distribution is discussed.