A new species of the genus Nicippe from Japan (Crustacea, Amphipoda, Pardaliscidae)

Abstract

A new species of the pardaliscid amphipod, Nicippe recticaudata, from off Cape Toi, Japan, is named and described. This is the first record of Nicippe Bruzelius, 1859 from the western Pacific coast of the Japanese archipelago. Additionally, nucleotide sequences of nuclear 28S ribosomal RNA and histone H3 as well as mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) and 16S ribosomal RNA from the holotype and paratypes were determined. The morphological characteristics and the COI distance values enforced the distinctiveness of N. recticaudata sp. n. among the known Nicippe species. Nicippe recticaudata sp. n. closely resembles N. tumida Bruzelius, 1859 in having a two-dentate posterior margin of usoromite 1. However, the former is distinguished from the latter by the posterior margin of merus of pereopod 4 with 5–6 setae, anterior margin of merus of pereopod 5 with 9–10 setae, and telson with straight inner margin, tapering proximally. A key to the species of Nicippe is provided.