Coxicerberus syrticus (Kensley, 1984)

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Suggested Common Name: Syrtican Beach-Cerberus
Etymology: syrtis = sandbank [Latin, the original description incorrectly attributing the origin to Greek], refering to the the habitat of this species.
Taxonomic History: Microcerberus syrticus Kensley, 1984; Coxicerberus syrticus Wägele, Voelz & Vaun McArthur, 1995
Size Range: to 1.1mm
Description: (modified from Kensley, 1984) Body 9x longer than wide, widest at front of pereonite 1. Head 1.25x longer than wide; frontal margin truncate; lateral margins evenly convex. Antenna 1 5-segmented, segment 5 with few setae and 1 aesthetasc. Antenna 2 peduncle segment 2 with medial tooth; flagellum 5-segmented, setose. Mandible spine row with 3 fringed spines; molar absent, replaced by stout proximal spine that is fringed on one margin; palp 1-segmented, segment 1 with 1 seta partially shielded by thin rounded membranous structure. Maxilla 1 endopod short, rounded, with 2 short distal setae. Maxilla 2 uniramous, with 2 stout spines fringed one one margin. Maxilliped endite narrow, tip rounded, reaching palp segment 2; palp 5-segmented, setose. Pereopods 1-7 basis with triangular superior tooth. Pereonite 1 anterolateral lobes acute. Pereopod 1 subchelate; propus expanded, palm with proximal lobe with 2 stout spines, proximal spine with 1 denticle, distal spine with several find denticle, distal 0.75 of palm with 3 stout flexed denticulate spines; dactyl claw half as long as rest of segment, inferior margin with 2 denticulate spines. Pereopods 2-7 ambulatory; dactyl 2-clawed, anterior spined slender towards tip. Pereonites 2-4 subequal in length; medial lobes anteriorly rounded; lateral plates acutely triangular, distinct from tergite by suture [according to figs]. Pereonites 5-7 substantially longer and wider towards posterior; tergal plate triangular, set medially to pereopod base. Pleonite 1 half as long as pleonite 2. ♂ pleopod 2 exopod stubby, with single seta; endopod elongate-slender, lateral lobe squat, leaf-shaped, basally broad-compressed, apically acute, lateral lamella free, narrower distally, apically hooked, both proximoapical and distoapical lobes lanceolate, acute, pointing distally, subequal in size, proximoapical lobe reaching halfway up distoapical lobe, medial lobe spiciform. Pleopod 3 exopod bifid; endopod broad-triangular. Telson 1.3x longer than pleonite 2; tip faintly sinuous. Uropod 2-segmented; endite conical, setose, almost 2x longer than protopod.
Geographic Range: Currently only known from Carrie Bow Cay, Belize, but is likely to be widespread in the Caribbean. Reported from coarse calcareous sand in the intertidal zone.
Notes: The ♂ pleopod 2 endopod with a free lateral lamella forming a long apically-hooked appendage and the lanceolate apically-pointing proximomedial lobe is highly distinctive for this species among the mirabilis group. 

Sources

Kensley, B. F. (1984). The Atlantic barrier reef ecosystem at Carrie Bow Cay, Belize, III: new marine Isopoda. Smithsonian Contributions to the Marine Sciences, 24(1-4):1-81.

Wägele, J. W., Voelz, N. J., & Vaun McArthur, J. (1995). Older than the Atlantic Ocean: discovery of a fresh-water Microcerberus (Isopoda) in North America and erection of Coxicerberus, new genus. Journal of Crustacean Biology, 15(4):733-745.

Published: Feb 15, 2023