Photis elephantis J. L. Barnard 1962

Photis elephantis J. L. Barnard

Photis elephantis J. L. Barnard, 1962a:39–42, figs. 16, 17; 1969b: 151.

MATERIAL.—SCO ?6, 8, 10, 14, ?15, 18; PAZ 18, 21; GAL ?101, 105, 108; DAW ?5, 16, 31.

DISTRIBUTION.—Gulf of California, Puerto Peñasco, Cabo San Lucas, 0 m; Galapagos Islands, 0–6 m; to Corona del Mar, California; depth range, 0–6 m.

Posophotis, new genus

ETYMOLOGY.—Posophotis is from the Greek posos (how much) and photis (from the classic generic name).

DIAGNOSIS.—Article 3 of antenna 1 as long as article 1; accessory flagellum 2–3 articulate (possibly with tiny additional article). Head deeply recessed for reception of antenna 2. Coxae 1–5 elongate, large, and overlapping. Mandible with 3-articulate palp, article 3 shorter than article 2, clavate, strongly setose. Dactyl of maxilliped short, stubby, multisetose apically. Gnathopod 1 small, weakly subchelate, article 5 about 1.1 times longer than article 6. Gnathopod 2 of both sexes slightly larger than gnathopod 1, wrist of moderate length, broadly but weakly lobate, hand slightly longer than wrist, broad, subchelate, palm oblique, sculptured. Peduncle of uropod 3 elongate, rami styliform, slightly shorter than peduncle, outer ramus 1-articulate, inner ramus as long as outer or occasionally in male shortened, about 60 percent as long as outer ramus. Telson ordinary, with small posterior recessment.

TYPE-SPECIES.—Posophotis seri, new species (here designated).

COMPOSITION.—Monotypic; possible member is Gammaropsis photosimilis Ruffo, 1969.

RELATIONSHIP.—This genus has the external facies of Photis and Cedrophotis but differs in the absence of article 2 on the outer ramus of uropod 3, the well-developed accessory flagellum and the stubby dactyl on the maxillipedal palp. This genus would key to the Gammaropsis complex (J. L. Barnard, 1973) but differs from all the genera of that complex except Pseudeurystheus in the stubby dactyl of the maxillipedal palp and from the vast majority in the Photis-like appearance of the coxae. Males of Pseudeurystheus have an elongate wrist on gnathopod 2, much longer than the hand, and the coxae are not elongate.

Posophotis seri is diagnosed and described below in expanded form for purposes of comparison to members of the Gammaropsis complex and Photis.