Brucerolis nowra Poore & Storey 2009

Brucerolis nowra is a species of isopods in the family Serolidae, found in marine waters off Nowra in New South Wales.

The species was first described in 2009 by Gary Poore and Melissa Storey. The genus name honours Niel L. Bruce, and the species epithet refers to where the type specimens were found.

Description. Body length 31 mm (holotype). Body as long as greatest width (at coxae 3). Middorsal line with short triangular middorsal processes on posterior margin of head, pereonites 2–4 and pleonites 1–3, evident in lateral view; dorsal surface punctate. Head, anterolateral margins concave, lateral corners acute and strongly projecting anteriorly and dorsally; maximum width between anterolateral corners 1.1 times as wide as span between lateral margins of eyes; head without paired processes on transverse ridge at bases of antennae 1, with obsolete paired tubercles between eyes, without median posterior tubercle, with obscure lobes lateral to median posterior tubercle. Pereonite 1 of male, lateral margin convex anteriorly, straight over most of length, lateral margin upturned over anterior half, with sharply-crested submarginal ridge parallel to margin, dorsal surface with oblique-transverse ridge reaching near margin, otherwise unornamented. Coxal dorsal plate 2 of male 0.8 times as long as half pereonal tergite 2 width (following plates increasing in length); plate 4 of male as long as half pereonal tergite 4 width; plate 6 of male extending beyond tip of pleotelson by 2.3 times middorsal length of pleotelson, the pair diverging over entire length, curving evenly; pleonal epimeron 2 of male 1.5 times length of pleotelson; pleonal epimeron 3 of male length of pleotelson; pleonal epimera 2 and 3 with assymetrically emarginate apices. Ventral coxal plates 2–4 with transverse ridges on mesial, anterior and posterior margins outlining a transverse depression.
Antenna 1 peduncle articles 3+4 2.1 times as long as article 2 (anterior margin); flagellum with about 45 articles, 3.5 times as long as articles 3+4, reaching back to pleonite 2. Antenna 2 peduncle article 5 1.3 times as long as article 4; flagellum of 14 articles, 1.3 times as long as peduncle article 5.
Pereopod 1 propodus 2.1 times as long as greatest width. Pereopod 2 palm dorsal length 1.8 times greatest width, gently continuous, with free proximal margin, with 18 spiniform setae arranged in an oval over the proximal two-thirds of the palm. Pereopod 5 of male basis 5.2 times as long as greatest width, of even width; merus with marginal setae; carpus 6 times as long as greatest width; propodus 7 times as long as greatest width; dactylus curved, half as long as propodus. Pereopod 6 of male merus setose, carpus 8 times as long as greatest width; propodus 11 times as long as greatest width; dactylus curved, 0.4 times as long as propodus. Pereopod 7 of male carpus 4.4 times as long as greatest width (near distal end); propodus 6.5 times as long as greatest width, propodus tapering from near base, lower margin straight; dactylus curved, 0.45 times as long as propodus.
Pleopod 2 endopod with convex distal margin, sharply tapering to base of appendix masculina; appendix masculina 3.6 times as long as straight margin of endopod. Uropodal rami with rounded apices; exopod 0.8 length of endopod.
Female. Pereonite 1, lateral margin of female sinuous anteriorly, straight posteriorly. Coxal dorsal plate 2 of female 0.5 times as long as half pereonal tergite 2 width; plate 4 of female 0.8 times as long as half pereonal tergite 4 width (following plates increasing in length); plate 6 of female extending beyond tip of pleotelson by 1.1 times middorsal length of pleotelson (in juvenile female), the pair diverging and then converging slightly apically, curving evenly.

Material examined. Holotype. Australia, NSW, off Nowra (34°58.24´S-34°56.24´S, 151°23.12´E- 151°29.06´E), 1750 m, Museum Victoria party on RV Franklin, 16 Jul 1986, epibenthic sled (stn SLOPE 15), NMV J58261 (male, 31 mm).
Paratypes. Type locality, NMV J55674 (male, 26 mm; ovigerous female, 27 mm), NMV J19213 (15 males, 25–29 mm, 11 juveniles, 15–22 mm), NIWA 49331 (2 males, 2 juveniles). Off Nowra (34°57.36´S-34°52.48´ S, 151°16.12´E-51°18.36´E), 1402 m, Museum Victoria party on RV Franklin, 16 July 1986, epibenthic sled (stn SLOPE 11), NMV J15723 (male, 27 mm; ovigerous female, 25 mm; juvenile female, 20 mm). 52 km ENE of Nowra (34°43.33´S-34°43.44´S, 151°13.10´E-151°12.13´E), 450 m, Museum Victoria party on RV Franklin, 22 Oct 1988, epibenthic sled (stn SLOPE 57), NMV J19210 (damaged ovigerous female, 24 mm).