Bruce, Niel L. (2009) The Marine Fauna of New Zealand: Isopoda, Aegidae (Crustacea). National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, New Zealand.

 

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Abstract

The isopod family Aegidae of the New Zealand Exclusive Economic Zone is monographed. Six genera are present in the region: Aega Leach, 1815 with eight species, Aegapheles gen. nov. with seven species, Aegiochus Bovallius, 1885 with 16, Epulaega gen. nov. with two, Rocinela Leach, 1818 with nine, and Syscenus Harger, 1880 with five species. Thirty-nine of the 45 species are named, including two new species of Aega, two new species of Aegapheles, nine new species of Aegiochus, six new species of Rocinela, and one each of Epulaega gen. nov. and Syscenus; all but seven species are new records for the New Zealand marine fauna. Sixteen of the named species, approximately 40%, are endemic, but that figure is likely to drop, as many other large species are known to have extended distributions. Three species are removed from the New Zealand fauna: Aega novizealandiae Dana, 1853 and Aega cyclops Haswell, 1881 are regarded as nomina dubia and or misidentifications; Rocinela orientalis Schioedte & Meinert, 1879b is regarded as an uncorroborated record. The Barybrotidae is reinstated to family rank. A phylogenetic analysis of Aega was conducted using PAUP*, and a new generic classification is proposed, with Aegiochus Bovallius, 1885 revalidated, the subgenus Rhamphion Brusca, 1983 placed in synonymy with Aegiochus, and two new genera, Aegapheles gen. nov. and Epulaega gen. nov., described. To allow clear characterisation of certain New Zealand species, it was necessary to partially redescribe some Southern Ocean species: Aegiochus crozetensis (Kussakin & Vasina, 1982), Aegiochus uschakovi (Kussakin, 1967), and Aega punctulata Miers, 1881; descriptive notes and figures are also provided for Aega angustata Whitelegge, 1901, Aegiochus plebeia (Hansen, 1895) and Syscenus intermedius Richardson, 1910. Supplementary description and figures are given for the Antarctic species Aegiochus antarctica (Hodgson, 1910) and Aegiochus glacialis (Tattersall, 1921). Placed in synonymy are: Aega edwardsii Dollfus, 1891 (= A. punctulata), Aega giganteoculata Nunomura, 1988 (= Aegiochus vigilans (Haswell, 1881)), Aega koltuni Kussakin, 1967 (= Aegiochus antarctica (Hodgson, 1910)) and Syscenus pacificus Nunomura, 1981 (= Syscenus latus Richardson, 1909); Aega tumida Nunomura, 1988 is considered to be indistinguishable from Aegiochus spongiophila (Semper, 1867). Species brought out of synonymy are: Aega punctulata Miers, 1881 and Aega urotoma Barnard, 1914. Keys are provided to the marine genera and to the named New Zealand species.

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