Pontostratiotes horrida

Pontostratiotes horrida Brodskaya

Pontostratiotes horrida Brodskaya, 1959, pp. 1787–1789, fig. 2.

One ♀ in sample 407A.

Female. Body length 2.00 mm, furcal length 0.98 mm.

The species was described by Brodskaya (1959) from a single female, which she incorrectly considered to be a male.

Our specimen most probably belongs to this species, although it has several differences from Brodskaya’s specimen and shows some features not observed by Brodskaya.

Rostrum a much more complex structure than in Brodskaya’s description. Serrulation almost continuous along external edge and between corner spine and dorsal spine of cephalothorax.

First thoracic segment well separated (not observed by Brodskaya). Dorsal spines of 2nd thoracic segment very long and almost setiform, much longer than in type-specimen, reaching distal edge of 4th thoracic segment. Dorsal process of 3rd thoracic segment and adjacent setiform spines form a structure much more complicated than that described by Brodskaya, although basically similar to it. Third and 4th thoracic segments with well-marked retinacula; 4th segment also with a posterior retinaculum.

Antennula apparently 7-jointed, but an 8th joint, the 4th, is partly hidden within the long 3rd joint. Antenna, and especially the mandible, maxillula, and maxilla, which were not figured by Brodskaya, are illustrated here. Swimming legs without rodlike setae. Setation formula agrees with that of the type description.

PV is also illustrated here, with some corrections as compared with the type. PVI very short and oriented transversally, with only 2 setae. Genital field with a very characteristic structure.

With the characters of the type-species, A. malagassicus, new species. Gender masculine.