Species Paramisophria variabilis McKinnon & Kimmerer, 1985

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Regional Maps

• Paramisophria variabilis McKinnon, A.D. & Kimmerer, W.J. 1985. Paramisophria variabilis, a new Artellid (Copepoda: Calanoida) from Hypersaline waters of Shark Bay, Western Australia. Records of the Australian Museum 37(2): 85-89 [86].

  Type data:

   Holotype AM P34778 ♀ (dissected) (specimens were collected in plankton, Fauré Sill Channel, Shark Bay, between 16/06/1983 and 17/06/1983 by W.J. Kimmerer), Western Australia [25°58'S 114°03'E].
  Paratype(s) AM P34779 ♂ (dissected) (specimens were collected in plankton, Fauré Sill Channel, Shark Bay, between 16/06/1983 and 17/06/1983 by W.J. Kimmerer), Western Australia [25°58'S 114°03'E]; AM P34780 4♀ 4♂ (specimens were collected in plankton, Fauré Sill Channel, Shark Bay, between 16/06/1983 and 17/06/1983 by W.J. Kimmerer), Western Australia [25°58'S 114°03'E]; AM P34781 ♀ (dissected) (specimens were collected in plankton, Fauré Sill Channel, Shark Bay, between 16/06/1983 and 17/06/1983 by W.J. Kimmerer), Western Australia [25°58'S 114°03'E]; AM P34782 ♀ (dissected) (specimens were collected in plankton, Fauré Sill Channel, Shark Bay, between 16/06/1983 and 17/06/1983 by W.J. Kimmerer), Western Australia [25°58'S 114°03'E]; AM P34783 ♂ (dissected) (specimens were collected in plankton, Fauré Sill Channel, Shark Bay, between 16/06/1983 and 17/06/1983 by W.J. Kimmerer), Western Australia [25°58'S 114°03'E]; AM P34784 ♂ (dissected) (specimens were collected in plankton, Fauré Sill Channel, Shark Bay, between 16/06/1983 and 17/06/1983 by W.J. Kimmerer), Western Australia [25°58'S 114°03'E]; AM P34785 ♂ (dissected) (specimens were collected in plankton, Fauré Sill Channel, Shark Bay, between 16/06/1983 and 17/06/1983 by W.J. Kimmerer), Western Australia [25°58'S 114°03'E]; NMV J3141 ♀ ♂ (specimens were collected in plankton, Fauré Sill Channel, Shark Bay, between 16/06/1983 and 17/06/1983 by W.J. Kimmerer), Western Australia [25°58'S 114°03'E]; WAM 44-84 ♀ ♂ (specimens were collected in plankton, Fauré Sill Channel, Shark Bay, between 16/06/1983 and 17/06/1983 by W.J. Kimmerer), Western Australia [25°58'S 114°03'E].

Distribution

States

Western Australia

IBRA and IMCRA regions

IBRA

WA: Avon Wheatbelt (AW), Carnarvon (CAR), Central Kimberley (CK), Coolgardie (COO), Central Ranges (CR), Dampierland (DL), Esperance Plains (ESP), Gascoyne (GAS), Gibson Desert (GD), Geraldton Sandplains (GS), Great Sandy Desert (GSD), Great Victoria Desert (GVD), Hampton (HAM), Jarrah Forest (JF), Little Sandy Desert (LSD), Mallee (MAL), Murchison (MUR), Northern Kimberley (NK), Nullarbor (NUL), Ord Victoria Plain (OVP), Pilbara (PIL), Swan Coastal Plain (SWA), Tanami (TAN), Victoria Bonaparte (VB), Warren (WAR), Yalgoo (YAL)

Ecological Descriptors

Adult: free-living, marine.

Diagnosis

Paramisophria variabilis is named for the variability observed in its morphology, particulary in the endopod of the male leg 5. In addition, one female paratype (Reg. no. P34782) has an abnormal 2-segemented exopod on the 2nd leg and assymetrical coxae on leg 5, the left of which is not produced into a sharp tip on the inner expansion of the coxa. Another female paratype (Reg. no. P34781) has an extra terminal thorn on the right expodite of leg 5.
Species of Paramisophria are similar in habitus, and the females are difficult to separate. The form of the male fifth leg provides the most distinctive feature. Dr A. Fosshagen (Blomsterdalen, Norway) is presently describind further species, one of which, from Midway Island, closely resembles P. variabilis. The male fifth leg of P. variabilis is most similar to P. ammophila, of the species described to date.
All species of Paramisophria are epibenthic. The Shark Bay material was collected in plankton only because of high turbulence in the area; the samples contained a lot of sediment and benthic animals. Paramisophria variabilis was not taken in any of the other 23 stations sampled along a transect from the Indian Ocean to Hamelin Pool (Kimmerer et al. in press). The present high salinity record implies considerable euryhalinity, however no salinity data is available for the other members of the genus.
(McKinnon, A.D. & Kimmerer, W.J., 1985)pg.86

ID Keys

Key to species of genus Paramisophria : McKinnon & Kimmerer 1985: 85

History of changes