INTRODUCTION
During two Caribbean expeditions with the RV ‘Aldebaran’ in the years 2008 and 2009 along the coast of Belize a large number of amphipod samples were taken by SCUBA diving. In these samples several Bateidae species were found, the three carinate species from these samples are described herein.
Bateidae are distributed along the east and west coast of America (Shoemaker, Reference Shoemaker1926), the distribution in the Caribbean region was summarized by Ortíz et al. (Reference Ortíz, Martín and Díaz.2007). They are unusual amphipods in the respect that the first gnathopod is drastically reduced to only 2 articles. These articles are very small and hidden behind the coxa of pereopod 2. The biological role of this reduction is unknown. Ortíz (Reference Ortíz1991) revised the Bateidae from the material of the Hourglass Expedition, specimens from Cuba and the west coast of Florida, and did some examinations of gut contents of Batea carinata (Shoemaker, Reference Shoemaker1926). He found beside mineral particles and crustacean remains mainly plant parts and detritus, not an unusual food source for amphipods which might explain the reduction of an important appendage in many amphipods used in feeding.
Shoemaker classified the carinate bateids as Carinobatea, but Barnard & Karaman (Reference Barnard and Karaman1991) synonymized this genus with Batea, as apart from the dorsal teeth there are no further characters to justify a separate genus.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The material was collected by SCUBA diving during two trips (2008 and 2009) with the RV ‘Aldebaran’ along the coast of Belize. It was fixed in 70% ethanol. Pencil drawings were made with a camera lucida on a Leica M 205c dissecting microscope and a Leica DMLB compound microscope. The line drawings were made using the technique described in Coleman (Reference Coleman2003, Reference Coleman2009). Length measurements were made along the dorsal outline of the animals, beginning at the tip of the rostrum to the end of the urosome. The material is deposited in the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin (ZMB).
RESULTS
(A–I) Batea aldebaranae sp. nov., holotype, male?, 3.5 mm, Turneffe Island. (A) Labrum; (B) left aspect of habitus; (C) antenna 2, articles 2–4; (D) right aspect of head with rostrum, antenna 1 and 2; (E) antenna 1; (F) incisor and lacinia mobilis of left mandible; (G) maxilla 1; (H) right mandible; (I) inner plate of maxilliped. Scale bars: A, G–H: 100 µm; B–D: 200 µm.
(A–H) Batea aldebaranae sp. nov., holotype, male?, 3.5 mm, Turneffe Island. (A) Maxilla 2; (B) palp of maxilliped; (C) maxilliped, setae omitted; (D) outer plate of maxilliped; (E) gnathopod 1 of right body side; (F) coxa of gnathopod 2 of left body side and 2-articulate gnathopod 1, seen from medially; (G) gnathopod 2; (H) palm and dactylus from gnathopod 2. Scale bars: A, B, D, F: 100 µm; C, G: 200 µm.
(A–B) Batea aldebaranae sp. nov., holotype, male?, 3.5 mm, Turneffe Island. (A) Pereopod 3; (B) pereopod 4; (C, D) pereopod 5. Scale bars: A–C: 200 µm.
(A–G) Batea aldebaranae sp. nov., holotype, male?, 3.5 mm, Turneffe Island. (A, C) Pereopod 6; (B) pereopod 7; (D) uropod 3; (E) uropod 2; (F) uropod 1; (G) telson. Scale bars: A–B, D–F: 200 µm; G: 100 µm.
TYPE MATERIAL
Holotype: male?, 3.5 mm. Paratypes 4 ovigerous females 4–5 mm; 3 males?, 3–3.5 mm, 5 juveniles from locus typicus, ZMB 27730; 2 additional specimens collected at 17°08.215′N 88°05.233′W, 4 m, snorkelling, hand net catches from seagrass leaves, leg. Coleman, 3 April 2009, ZMB 27731.
TYPE LOCALITY
Coast of Belize: 17°11.361′N 87°52.697′W, lagoon on the southern tip of Turneffe Island, 2.5–3.5 m depth, snorkelling, hand net catches from seagrass leaves, leg. Coleman, 31 March 2009.
ETYMOLOGY
The species is named for the wonderful RV ‘Aldebaran’ and its enthusiastic crews.
DESCRIPTION
Based on male? holotype, 3.5 mm. Head with large oval eyes and flexed rostrum; anterior head margin straight except for small angular lobe close to article 1 of antenna 1; anteroventral head lobe angular.
Pereonites and pleonites: pereonite 1 as long as 2 and 3 combined. Pereonites 2–6 short, pereonite 7 longest, with narrow pointed mid-dorsal posteromarginal tooth and posterior margin fringed with microtrichs. Pleonites 1–2 each with mid-dorsal posteromarginal tooth (that of pleonite 1 with microtrich fringes), shorter than that of pereonite 7, accompanied by additional strong tooth on both sides. Pleonite 3 dorsally smooth. Epimeral plate 1 with short point posteroventrally; plate 2 with long pointed process; plate 3 serrate on ventral half of posterior margin. Urosomites smooth, urosomite 2 shortest, less than half the length of urosomite 1.
Antenna and mouthparts: antenna 1 peduncular article 1 longest, longer than articles 2 and 3 combined, with 1 long pointed ventral process and 2 shorter ones; flagellum article 1 longer than 3rd peduncular article, flagellum articles much longer than wide. Antenna 2 peduncle articles 2–3 short, wider than long; nephridial cone on article 2 narrowly produced; article 3 longer than basal articles.
Labrum wider than long, not tapering much. Mandible incisors dentate, lacinia mobilis dentate on both sides; raker row with 4 spines, curved dorsally; molar triturative with long seta on dorsal margin; palp 3-articulate, article 3 is 2 × as long as 2 with 1 stout apical seta and a row of long slender marginal setae. Lower lip destroyed during dissection. Maxilla 1 inner plate tapering distally with 3 plumose setae mediomarginally; outer plate with 12 apical spiniform slender medioapically serrate setae, the 2 lateral ones inserted more proximally; palp 2-articulate, proximal article 70% of the length of distal article, this with stout apical setae. Maxilla 2 inner plate narrower than out, tapering distally, with anteromedial long setae; outer plate distally wide with long smooth setae apically. Maxilliped inner plate with 3 apical nodular setae and row of long plumose setae on medial setae; outer plate widened with spatulate setae along mediodistal margin and slender setae proximomedially; palp slender, 4-articulate, 2nd article mediodistally weakly produced.
Pereopods: pereopod 1 rudimentary, completely hidden behind coxa 2; coxa about 1/4 of the length of coxa 2; only 1 more article (basis?) present, shorter than coxa, tapering distally with a single apical seta, about 2 × as long as wide. Pereopod 2 coxa weakly tapering distally, truncate apically; basis slender, about as long as ischium to dactylus; ischium about 1/6 the length of basis; ischium and merus subequal in length; carpus expanded distally, lobate posterodistally; propodus 75% of carpus length; palm oblique, weakly serrate; dactylus with 1 tooth on the inner margin. Pereopod 3 coxa longer and wider than that of pereopod 2, distally expanded; basis about as long as coxa; ischium shortest; distal margins of basis and ischium with wide rounded lobe; merus anterodistally drawn out; carpus weakly longer than merus; propodus more than 2 × as long as carpus; dactylus weakly curved. Pereopod 4 coxa with wide rounded lobe posteriorly; basis almost entirely hidden by coxa; ischium short; distal margins of basis and ischium with wide rounded lobe; merus and carpus combined as long as propodus; dactylus weakly curved. Pereopod 5 coxa bi-lobed, posterior lobe much longer than anterior one, anterior and posterior margins rounded; basis slender, subrectangular; merus slightly longer and wider than carpus and drawn out posterodistally; propodus slightly longer than merus and carpus combined; dactylus weakly curved. Pereopod 6 longer than pereopod 5; coxa subtriangular, posterior lobe rounded ventrally; basis oval, with long plumose setae anteromarginally, overlapping posterior part of coxa; ischium very short; merus to dactylus as for pereopod 5. Pereopod 7 coxa wider than long, rounded; basis tapering distally, anterior margin convex; posterior margin serrate, slightly curved, posterior lobe longer than ischium; merus drawn out posterodistally; merus and carpus combined as long as propodus; dactylus 1/7 of propodus length.
Uropods and telson: uropod 1 twice as long as 2; peduncle about as long as inner ramus, inner margin with more spine-like setae compared to outer margin; outer ramus length 64% of inner. Uropod 2 peduncle longer than inner ramus, spine-like setae only on outer margin, except for medioapical seta; outer ramus 65% of inner. Uropod 3 peduncle slightly longer than wide, about 1/3 of rami length; rami lanceolate with spine-like setae on both margins and additional plumose setae, especially on outer margins. Telson tapering distally, weakly cleft.
Carinobatea cuspidata Shoemaker, Reference Shoemaker1926, pp. 21–24, figures 14 & 15; Reference Shoemaker1933, p. 11; Reference Shoemaker1935, p. 235; Reference Shoemaker1948, p. 3; Barnard, Reference Barnard1969 p. 164, figure 69a; Ortíz, Reference Ortíz1976, p. 17; Reference Ortíz1978, p. 7; Reference Ortíz1979a, p. 11; Reference Ortíz1991, p. 9, figure 5.
Batea cuspidata Barnard & Karaman, Reference Barnard and Karaman1991, p. 115, Escobar-Briones & Winfield, Reference Escobar-Briones and Winfield2003, p. 39.
(A–I) Batea cuspidata (Shoemaker, Reference Shoemaker1926), male, 5 mm, Coconut Tree Cay. (A) Habitus; (B) labrum; (C) antenna 1; (D) lower lip; (E) left mandible; (F) right mandible; (G) antenna 2; (H) maxilla 1; (I) maxilla 2. Scale bars: A, C: 200 µm; B, D–I: 100 µm.
(A–H) Batea cuspidata (Shoemaker, Reference Shoemaker1926), male, 5 mm, Coconut Tree Cay. (A) Maxilliped, left side; (B) apex of inner plate of maxilliped; (C) outer plate of maxilliped; (D) palp of maxilliped; (E) posterior face of basal part of maxilliped; (F) gnathopod 1; (G) coxa of gnathopod 2; (H) gnathopod 2, basis to dactylus. Scale bars: A–E: 100 µm; F: 200 µm; H: 500 µm.
(A–E) Batea cuspidata (Shoemaker, Reference Shoemaker1926), male, 5 mm, Coconut Tree Cay. (A) Pereopod 4; (B) pereopod 3; (C) pereopod 5; (D) pereopod 5, carpus to dactylus; (E) chela gnathopod 2. Scale bars: A: 500 µm; B, C, E: 100 µm.
(A–H) Batea cuspidata (Shoemaker, Reference Shoemaker1926), male, 5 mm, Coconut Tree Cay. (A) Pereopod 6; (B, D) uropod 3; (C) uropod 2; (E) uropod 1; (F) telson; (G, H) pereopod 7. Scale bars: A: 200 µm; B–F: 100 µm; G, H: 500 µm.
MATERIAL EXAMINED
2 specimens (5 and 3.5 mm), from coralline algae, Coconut Tree Cay, east of Turneffe Island, 17°11.2′N 87°52.5′W, 3 m, leg. Coleman, 1 April 2009, ZMB 27734; 2 specimens (1 ovigerous female), seagrass, 17°08.215′N 88°05.233′W, 4 m, leg. Coleman, 3 April 2009, ZMB 27733; 2 juveniles (?) with short dorsal teeth, washed out of Halimeda, 16°54.005′N 88°03.831′W, 3 m, leg. Coleman, 4 April 2009, ZMB 27735.
DESCRIPTION
Based on male, 5 mm. Head with large oval eyes and flexed rostrum; anterior head margin straight except for small angular lobe close to article 1 of antenna 1; anteroventral head lobe subacutely drawn out.
Pereonites and pleonites: pereonite 1 as long as 2 and 3 combined. Pereonites 2–6 short, pereonite 7 longest, with narrow pointed mid-dorsal posteromarginal tooth. Pleonites 1–2 each with mid-dorsal posteromarginal tooth, shorter than that of pereonite 7, no additional teeth present. Pleonite 3 dorsally smooth. Epimeral plate 1 with short point posteroventrally; plate 2 with long pointed process; plate 3 serrate on ventral half of posterior margin and somewhat roundly produced. Urosomites smooth, urosomite 2 shortest, about 1/3 the length of urosomite 1.
Antenna and mouthparts: antenna 1 much shorter than antenna 2; peduncular article 1 longest, more than 2 × as wide as article 2, longer than articles 2 and 3 combined, with 1 long pointed ventral process and 2 short processes; flagellum article 1 longer than 3rd peduncular article, flagellum slender, articles much longer than wide. Antenna 2 peduncle articles 2–3 short, wider than long; nephridial cone on article 2 narrowly produced; article 3 longer than basal articles; articles 4 and 5 subequal in length, each somewhat shorter than article 3, flagellum articles not so slender as those of antenna 1.
Labrum longer than wide, tapering distally. Mandible incisors dentate, lacinia mobilis dentate on both sides; raker row with 4–5 spines, curved dorsally; molar triturative with long seta on dorsal margin, palp 3-articulate, article 3 is 2 × as long as 2 with 1 stout apical seta and a row of long slender marginal setae. Lower lip with narrow long lobes; mandibular processes short and with angular apices. Maxilla 1 inner plate tapering distally with 7 plumose setae mediomarginally; outer plate with 10? apical spiniform slender medioapically serrate setae, the 2 lateral ones inserted more proximally; palp 2-articulate, proximal article 70% of the length of distal article, this with stout apical setae. Maxilla 2 inner plate narrower than outer, tapering distally, with anteromedial long setae; outer plate distally wide with long smooth setae apically. Maxilliped inner plate with 3 apical nodular setae and row of long plumose setae on medial setae; outer plate widened with spatulate setae along mediodistal margin and slender setae proximomedially; palp slender, 4-articulate, 2nd article mediodistally produced.
Pereopods: pereopod 1 rudimentary, completely hidden behind coxa 2; apart from coxa only 1 more article (basis?) present, slender and about 12 × as long as wide, distally weakly expanded with group of apical setae. Pereopod 2 coxa weakly tapering distally, rounded apically; basis slender, about 1/3 of the distance of ischium to dactylus combined; ischium elongate, about 67% the length of basis; merus half the length of ischium; carpus and propodus comparatively long and slender; carpus expanded distally, acutely drawn out posterodistally; propodus 84% of carpus length; palm oblique, weakly serrate; dactylus with 3 teeth on the inner margin. Pereopod 3 coxa longer and wider than that of pereopod 2, distally expanded; basis shorter as coxa; ischium shortest; distal margins of basis and ischium with wide rounded lobe; merus anterodistally drawn out; carpus weakly longer than merus; propodus more than 2 × as long as carpus; dactylus strongly curved. Pereopod 4 coxa with wide slightly angular lobe posteriorly; basis almost entirely hidden by coxa; ischium short; distal margins of basis and ischium with wide rounded lobe; merus and carpus combined as long as propodus; dactylus curved. Pereopod 5 coxa bi-lobed, posterior lobe much longer than anterior one, anterior and posterior margins rounded; basis slender, subrectangular, roundly produced anterodistally; merus slightly longer and wider than carpus and drawn out posterodistally; propodus slightly longer than merus and carpus combined; dactylus strongly curved. Pereopod 6 longer than pereopod 5; coxa bi-lobed, posterior lobe rounded ventrally; basis subcircular, with long plumose setae anteromarginally, overlapping posterior coxal lobe; ischium very short; merus to dactylus similar to pereopod 5, but merus appears to be stouter. Pereopod 7 coxa wider than long, rounded; basis with both margins convex; posterior margin weakly serrate, posterodistal lobe longer than ischium; merus drawn out posterodistally; merus and carpus combined as long as propodus; dactylus 41% of propodus length.
Uropods and telson: uropod 1 1.5 × as long as 2; peduncle about as long as inner ramus, inner margin with less spine-like setae compared to outer margin; outer ramus shorter than inner. Uropod 2 peduncle longer than inner ramus, spine-like setae predominantly on outer margin; outer ramus 65% of inner. Uropod 3 peduncle slightly longer than wide, about 1/2 of rami length; rami lanceolate with spine-like setae on both margins and additional plumose setae, especially on outer margins. Telson not much tapering, apices pointed, cleft half the length.
DISTRIBUTION
Florida (Camp et al., Reference Camp, W.G. and Perkins1998), Gulf of Mexico (Shoemaker, Reference Shoemaker1926, Reference Shoemaker1933, Reference Shoemaker1948; Escobar-Briones et al., Reference Escobar-Briones, Winfield, Ortíz, Gasca, Suárez, Llorente and Morrone2002; Esober-Briones & Winfield, 2003), Caribbean Sea (Shoemaker, Reference Shoemaker1926, Reference Shoemaker1933, Reference Shoemaker1935, Reference Shoemaker1948; Ortíz & Lemaitre, Reference Ortíz and Lemaitre1994; Ortíz & Lalana, Reference Ortíz and Lalana1998; Díaz, Reference Díaz2001). Habitat: amongst algae (Halimeda opuntia) and seagrass Thalassia, 0–20 m.
(A–H) Batea carinata (Shoemaker, Reference Shoemaker1926), female, 6 mm, Glovers Reef. (A) Habitus; (B) labrum; (C) lower lip; (D) epimera 1–3, from right to left; (E) maxilla 2; (F) incisor and lacinia mobilis of left mandible; (G) palp of right mandible; (H) right mandibular body. Scale bars: A: 1 mm; B, C, E, G, H: 100 µm.
(A–F) Batea carinata (Shoemaker, Reference Shoemaker1926), female, 6 mm, Glovers Reef. (A) Antenna 1, peduncular articles 2–3 and flagellum; (B) antenna 1, peduncular article 1; (C) antenna 2; (D) maxilla 1; (E) maxilla 1 palp; (F) maxilliped, anterior face, right palp omitted. Scale bars: A, C: 200 µm; D, F: 100 µm.
(A–D) Batea carinata (Shoemaker, Reference Shoemaker1926), female, 6 mm, Glovers Reef. (A) Gnathopod 1; (B) gnathopod 2; (C) pereopod 3; (D) pereopod 4. Scale bars: A, B: 100 µm; C, D: 200 µm.
(A–D) Batea carinata (Shoemaker, Reference Shoemaker1926), female, 6 mm, Glovers Reef. (A) Pereopod 4; (B) pereopod 7; (C) pereopod 6, (D) telson. Scale bars: A–C: 200 µm; D: 100 µm.
(A–D) Batea carinata (Shoemaker, Reference Shoemaker1926), female, 6 mm, Glovers Reef. (A) Uropod 1; (B) uropod 2; (C, D) uropod 3. Scale bars: A–D: 100 µm.
Carinobatea carinata Shoemaker, Reference Shoemaker1926, pp. 24–26, figure 16; Reference Shoemaker1948, p. 3; Ortíz, Reference Ortíz1976, p. 7; Reference Ortíz1978, p. 7; Reference Ortíz1979a, p. 11; Reference Ortíz1979b, p. 9; Reference Ortíz1991, p. 11, figures 6–7.
Batea carinata Barnard & Karaman, Reference Barnard and Karaman1991, p. 115, Escobar-Briones & Winfield, Reference Escobar-Briones and Winfield2003, p. 39.
MATERIAL EXAMINED
2 specimens: 3 mm, female 6 mm, washed out of dead coral and Halimeda; Glovers Reef, 16°47.065′N 87°41.988′W, 30 m, leg. Hoffmann and Coleman, 21 April 2008; ZMB 27732.
DESCRIPTION
Base on female 6 mm. Head with large oval eyes and flexed rostrum; anterior head margin straight except for small angular lobe close to article 1 of antenna 1; anteroventral head lobe acutely drawn out ventrally.
Pereonites and pleonites: pereonite 1 as long as 2 and 3 combined. Pereonites 2–6 short, pereonite 7 longest, with narrow pointed mid-dorsal posteromarginal tooth. Pleonites 1–2 each with mid-dorsal posteromarginal tooth, that on pleonite 1 somewhat shorter than that of pereonite 7 that on pleonite 2 about half the length, additional dorsolateral teeth lacking. Pleonite 3 dorsally with a short mid-dorsal point posteromarginally. Epimeral plate 1 with short point posteroventrally; plate 2 with long pointed process; plate 3 straight and serrate on ventral half of posterior margin. Urosomites smooth, urosomite 2 shortest, less than 1/3 the length of urosomite 1.
Antenna and mouthparts: antenna 1 peduncular article 1 almost 3 × as wide as 2nd peduncular article, longest, longer than articles 2 and 3 combined, with 1 long pointed ventral process and 2 short additional processes distomediomarginally; flagellum article 1 longer than 3rd peduncular article, flagellum slender, articles much longer than wide. Antenna 2 peduncle article 2 short, wider than long; article 3 subquadrate, distally acute; nephridial cone on article 2 narrowly produced; article 3 shorter than basal articles; flagellum articles slender.
Labrum longer than wide, tapering distally. Mandible incisors dentate, lacinia mobilis dentate on both sides; raker row with 4 spines, curved dorsally; molar triturative, palp 3-articulate, article 3 is 2 × as long as 2 with 1 stout apical seta and a row of long slender marginal setae. Lower lip longer than wide, mandibular processes angular distally. Maxilla 1 inner plate tapering distally with 6 plumose setae mediomarginally; outer plate with 11 apical spiniform slender medioapically serrate setae, the 2 lateral ones inserted more proximally; palp 2-articulate, proximal article 70% of the length of distal article, this with stout apical setae. Maxilla 2 inner plate narrower than out, tapering distally, with anteromedial long setae; outer plate distally wide with long smooth setae apically. Maxilliped inner plate with 3 apical nodular setae and row of long plumose setae on medial setae; outer plate widened with spatulate setae along mediodistal margin and slender setae proximomedially; palp slender, 4-articulate, 2nd article mediodistally produced.
Pereopods: pereopod 1 rudimentary, completely hidden behind coxa 2; apart from coxa only 1 more article (basis?) present, slender, weakly expanded with small group of setae and some slender setae anteromarginally. Pereopod 2 coxa weakly tapering distally, truncate apically; basis slender, about as long as ischium to dactylus; ischium about 1/4 the length of basis; ischium and merus subequal in length; carpus and propodus comparatively short and bulky, carpus expanded distally, lobate posterodistally; propodus 84% of carpus length; palm oblique, weakly serrate; dactylus with 3 teeth on the inner margin. Pereopod 3 coxa longer and wider than that of pereopod 2, distally expanded; basis shorter than coxa; ischium shortest; distal margins of basis and ischium with wide rounded lobe; merus anterodistally drawn out. Pereopod 4 coxa with wide rounded lobe posteriorly; basis entirely hidden by coxa; ischium short; distal margins of basis and ischium with wide rounded lobe; merus slender, weakly drawn out anterodistally. Pereopod 5 coxa bi-lobed, posterior lobe much longer than anterior one, anterior and posterior margins rounded; basis slender, subrectangular, anterodistally slightly convexly produced; merus slightly expanded and drawn out posterodistally. Pereopod 6 longer than pereopod 5; coxa subtriangular, posterior lobe rounded ventrally; basis oval, with long plumose setae anteromarginally; ischium very short; merus more than 2 × as wide as carpus, drawn out posterodistally; carpus about the length of merus; dactylus 1/3 of propodus. Pereopod 7 coxa wider than long, rounded; basis tapering distally, anterior margin strongly convex; posterior margin serrate, rather straight, posterodistal lobe not much longer than ischium; merus drawn out posterodistally; merus and carpus combined shorter than propodus; dactylus less than 1/3 of propodus length.
Uropods and telson: uropod 1 peduncle about as long as inner ramus, outer margin with more spine-like setae compared to inner margin; outer ramus length 64% of inner. Uropod 2 60% of uropod 1 length; peduncle longer than inner ramus, spine-like setae only on outer margin, except for medioapical seta; outer ramus 71% of inner. Uropod 3 peduncle longer than wide, about 1/3 of rami length; rami lanceolate with spine-like setae on both margins and some additional plumose setae, especially on outer margins. Telson tapering distally, apices pointed, deeply cleft.
DISTRIBUTION
Florida (Ortíz, Reference Ortíz1979b; Camp et al., Reference Camp, W.G. and Perkins1998), Gulf of Mexico (Shoemaker, Reference Shoemaker1926, Reference Shoemaker1948; Escobar-Briones et al., Reference Escobar-Briones, Winfield, Ortíz, Gasca, Suárez, Llorente and Morrone2002; Escobar-Briones & Winfield, 2003); Caribbean Sea (Ortíz, Reference Ortíz1978, Reference Ortíz1991; Stoner & Lewis, Reference Stoner and Lewis1985; Ortíz & Lalana, Reference Ortíz and Lalana1993, Reference Ortíz and Lalana1998; Ortíz & Lemaitre, Reference Ortíz and Lemaitre1994; Atienza, Reference Atienza2000; Díaz, Reference Díaz2001). Habitat: amongst algae and seagrass, 0–20 m.
REMARKS
The new species B. aldebaranae can easily be distinguished from the similar species B. cuspidata and B. carinata by the following characters: additional set of dorsolateral teeth on pleonites 1–2 (versus missing); pereopod 1 2nd article small, scale-like (versus long and slender); labrum wider than long (versus longer than wide, tapering); pereopod 2 dactylus with 1 tooth on the inner, concave margin (versus 3 teeth); different from pereopod 6, propodus of pereopod 7 elongate, with long setae posteromarginally and a tuft of long setae distally and dactylus half the length of the those from the preceding pereopods (versus those articles similar in pereopods 6 and 7); telson shallowly cleft (versus deeply cleft).
The herein redescribed material of B. carinata is very similar to the original description given by Shoemaker (Reference Shoemaker1926). However, there are some smaller differences to his description and to the one of Ortíz (1991): a small pointed process on the posterior margin of pleonite 3 in one of the redescribed specimens (versus smooth) and wide lobes on the distal margins of basis and ischium of pereopods 3 and 4 (straight in the illustrations of Shoemaker and Ortíz) and epimeral plates 1–2 are not pointed and the serrate part of the posterior margin of pleonite 3 is not roundly produced but rather straight in Ortíz's (1991) illustrations. Batea cuspidata from Belize does not have the rows of long plumose setae on carpus and propodus of pereopods 3–4 as shown in the original description by Shoemaker (Reference Shoemaker1926), but shorter smooth setae.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The author wishes to thank Dr Frank Schweikert (Marine Research & Broadcast Hamburg), Ms Steffi Lupp (Belize) and the crews of the RV ‘Aldebaran’ for their support on two trips. Special thanks to Dr Jana Hoffmann (Museum für Naturkunde Berlin), the scientific leader of the trip in 2008, for being such a great diving companion and for help with collecting and sorting the material.
