NEW SPECIES OF CYATHURA (CRUSTACEA: ISOPODA: ANTHURIDAE)
FROM ESTUARIES OF EASTERN AUSTRAFIA
By Gary C. B. Poore and Helen M. Few Ton
Department of Crustacea, Museum of Victoria, Russell Street, Melbourne, Victoria 3000, Australia
Abstract
Cyaihura aegiceras, C. bruguiera and C. hakea spp. nov., the only species of this genus so far known
from Australia, are described. Cyaihura aegiceras and C. bruguiera are found in estuaries of central-
north Queensland and co-occur. Cyaihura hakea is common in many estuaries and brackish coastal lakes
ol New South Wales, from the most eastern estuary and in a freshwater coastal lake in Victoria, and in an
estuary draining to Moreton Bay, Queensland.
Introduction
The anthurid isopod genus Cyaihura Nor-
man & Stebbing is cosmopolitan, with at least
30 species known (Negouescu and Wagele,
1984). Most are coastal species and many are
estuarine. The eastern American species C.
polita (Stimpson) and C. cahnata (Kr^yer)
from Europe are the only two anthurideans
whose biology has been studied (Amanieu,
1969; Burbanck, 1962; Burbanck and
Burbanck, 1979).
Two new species are described from estuaries
in central-north Queensland (18°S.) and a third
from estuaries in southern Queensland, New
South Wales and far eastern Victoria between
27°S. and 38°S. The third species is not known
from well-sampled estuaries elsewhere in Vic-
toria. Another anthuridean, Cruranlhura
peroni (Poore), also occurs in estuaries in
southern Queensland, New South Wales and in
Victoria ranges further west to the Gippsland
Fakes (Poore, 1981).
Material for this study has come mostly
from collections of ihe Queensland Museum,
NSW Slate Fisheries (NSWSF), the Australian
Museum Hawkesbury River Study, 1977-1978
(AMHRS), the Australian Museum
Eurobodella Shire Estuary Survey, 1974
(AMESES) and the FaTrobe Valley Water and
Sewerage Board, Traralgon (FVWSB).
Specimens are lodged in the Australian
Museum, Sydney (AM), the Queensland
Museum, Brisbane (QM), and the Museum of
Victoria, Melbourne (NMV). For an explana-
tion of figure labelling see Poore (1984). Scales
on figures are 1 mm.
Specific epithets are generic names of
Australian flowering plants, following a pattern
established for Paranthwa by Poore (1984).
Anthuridae
Cyaihura Norman & Stebbing, 1886
Diagnosis: Integument often pigmented, often
with numerous fine hairs. Eyes usually present,
sometimes absent. Antenna 1 flagellum of al
most 4 articles, with 3 terminal aesthetascs.
Antenna 2 flagellum short, of very few short ar-
ticles. Mandibles symmetrical, not sexually
dimorphic; incisor, lamina dentata and blunt
molar present; palp 3-articled, article 3 as long
as 2, with a longitudinal row of setae. Max-
illiped of 4 articles, endile absent or reduced;
article 4 terminal (suture oblique), about one-
half length of article 3, with 4-5 mesial setae.
Pereopod 1 subchelale, article 6 swollen,
with a tooth on the palm. Pereopods 2 and 3
with articles 6 only very slightly more swollen
than posterior pereopods. Pereopods 4-7 with
article 5 triangular, its anterior margin free.
Pleon short (about as long as pereonite 7),
pleonites 1-5 fused, pleonite 6 free or fused to
telson. Pleopod 1 exopod operculiform, en-
dopod without marginal setae. Pleopods 2-5
with endopods each bearing 1 seta. Uropodal
endopod short, more or less square or
triangular. Telson with 2 basal statocysts, apex
with long setae, no long dorsal selae.
Male antenna 1 with short flagellum of 4-5
very short articles, each bearing numerous
aesthetascs.
Types-species: Anthura carinata Kr^yer, 1848.
Memoirs of the Museum Victoria,
No. 46, 1985.
89
BioStor
