Iorgu Petrescu

New deep-sea Nannastacidae (Crustacea, Cumacea) from the Eastern Pacific collected by R.V. 'Vema'

Five new species of Procampylaspis Bonnier, 1896 (P. cornuta, P. jonesi, P. ledoyeri, P. muradianae and P. spinosa) and a new genus and species, Vemacumella heardi, are described from material collected by R.V. ‘Vema’ from the eastern Pacific coast of South America from 1958 to 1962. The new species of Procampylaspis are compared to congeners from the Atlantic. Vemacumella n. gen. is closely related to Styloptocuma Bacescu and Muradian, 1974, but also possesses a few characters in common with Cumella Sars, 1865; Bate, 1856.

NORMJONESIA DANIELI, A NEW GENUS AND SPECIES OF NANNASTACID CUMACEAN (MALACOSTRACA: PERACARIDA) FROM THE SOUTHWEST FLORIDA CONTINENTAL SHELF

Abstract The nannastacid cumacean, Normjonesia danieli, n. g., n. sp., is described from a depth of 88 m on the Southwest Florida shelf in the southeastern Gulf of Mexico. The new genus appears to have its closest affinities with Campylaspis Sars and Cubanocuma Băcescu and Muradian, also known from the shallow waters of the Caribbean Sea. A combination of characters, including: (1) the apparent lack of terminal aesthetes on antenna 1; (2) the absence of exopods on the female; (3) the presence of 5 pairs of exopods on the male; and (4) the presence of long terminal setae on the third maxilliped, distinguishes Normjonesia from the other known genera of the family Nannastacidae.

New species and new records of Cumacea (Crustacea: Peracarida: Cumacea) from mesophotic reefs of Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands, Caribbean Sea

The cumacean fauna of the Caribbean mesophotic reefs is remarkably rich but understudied. Herein, we present the description of 22 new species of the family Nannastacidae, including one from shallow reefs, 20 of them belonging to Cumella (Cumella) and two new species belonging to the subgenus Cumewingia. We have also included range extensions and new locations for ten previously known species of Cumella, two species in the genus Vaunthompsonia (family Bodotriidae) and one species in the genus Cubanocuma (family Nannastacidae). Taxonomic keys are provided for the western tropical Atlantic species of Cumella (Cumella) and Cumella (Cumewingia), separately for the adult males and females. Large sampling efforts and careful systematic studies, even in relatively well-characterized regions such as the Caribbean, can yield a surprising number of new discoveries. Our current findings emphasize our previous assertion that the mesophotic reefs are treasure troves of undiscovered benthic fauna and might be qualified as biodiversity hotspots.

A new species of the genus Campylaspis (Crustacea: Cumacea) from the mesophotic reefs of St. John, US Virgin Islands

Abstract. A new species of the genus Campylaspis G.O. Sars, C. grazielae and also Campylaspis sp. are described from the mesophotic coral ecosystems of St. John, US Virgin Islands, Caribbean Sea. Similarities and dissimilarities with related species are discussed and a taxonomic key is provided for the Western Atlantic species of the genus Campylaspis. With the addition of C. grazielae sp. nov. described herein, there are 17 recognized species of Campylaspis in the Western Atlantic. This is the first record of the genus Campylaspis from the US Virgin Islands.