Review of the genus Moruloidea (Crustacea, Isopoda, Sphaeromatidae) from the Southwest Atlantic, with description of two new species from the marine-protected area Namuncurá-Burdwood Bank

Abstract

In the present contribution, a complete revision of the Moruloidea species found in the Southwest Atlantic is provided, including two new species: M. urocerata n. sp. and M. pentacantha n. sp. from the Marine Protected Area Namuncurá-Burdwood Bank, Argentina and adjacent waters. Both species can be distinguished from the remaining congeners by their dorsal ornamentation. Moruloidea urocerata n. sp. presents two rounded lobes on the head and pereonite 1 each, and one large, curved process on the pleotelson in dorsal view, whereas M. pentacantha n. sp. presents two spines on the head and pereonite 1 each, and one spine on the pleotelson in dorsal view. Cassidinopsis tuberculata Schultz, 1978 is transferred to the genus Moruloidea, new combination M. tubercuata (Shultz, 1978). The original description is augmented with fully described males. The geographic and bathymetric ranges of M. tuberculata (Schultz, 1978) n. comb. are expanded. The intraspecific morphological variation of M. darwinii (Cunningham, 1871) is reported. The geographical distribution of all the Moruloidea species is discussed and an identification key is provided.