A new species of Ensayara (Crustacea: Amphipoda: Lysianassidae) from the Beagle Channel, Argentina

ALONSO G.M.; CHIESA I.L.

Camboriú

Congreso; XIV Congreso Latino-Americano de Ciencias del Mar (XIV COLACMAR); 2011

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Ensayara Barnard, 1964 comprises about ten species widely distributed geographically and bathymetrically. It belongs to the subfamily Lysianassinae and as Endevoura has an enlarged pereiopod 3 subchelate and prehensile. Both genera are distinguished by their flagella of antennae, the mandibular molar, the maxilliped and the ganthopod 1. The specimens, associated to the holdfasts of Macrocystis pyrifera, were collected in the Argentine sector of the Beagle Channel, at 8-12 meters depth. Ensayara n. sp. is characterized by the lateral cephalic lobe stubby; eyes large, reddish; antenna 1, peduncular articles 1-3 well-defined; mandibular palp, article 3 bearing four setae; maxilliped, article 4 with unguis; coxae 1-4 overlapping; gnathopod 1 simple; pereiopod 3 subchelate; pereiopod 7, article 2 posteroventrally indented; uropod 3, inner ramus subequal to article 1 of outer ramus; telson subtriangular. All Ensayara species are very similar, but the new species can be distinguished principally because the pereiopod 3 propodus palm forms a right angle with the posterior margin, contrary to the other taxa that have the palm distinctly oblique. The association of Ensayara n. sp. to the kelp holdfasts of Macrocystis pyrifera, represents a new ecological addition to the inquilinous habitats of the Ensayara taxa, confirming, also, that this genus comprises inquiline species.