A new species of Caprella (Crustacea: Amphipoda: Caprellidae) from the landward slope of the Japan Trench

Abstract

Caprella hakuhoae sp. nov. (Crustacea: Amphipoda: Caprellidae) is herein described based on specimens collected from the landward slope of the 522 m deep Japan Trench, in the northwestern Pacific Ocean. This species is closely related to Caprella fimbrillata Vassilenko, 1993, recorded from the continental slope (605–1200 m) of the Chishima/Kuril-Kamchatka Trench, also in the northwestern Pacific Ocean. Caprella hakuhoae sp. nov. is distinguished from C. fimbrillata by the lack of paired mid-dorsal projections on pereonite 2, the presence of paired dorsal projections on pereonite 6, the presence of two pairs of dorsal projections on pereonite 7, and the merus being shorter than the propodus on pereopod 7.