Species ID
OC-SP-0002603
Discovered
Phylum
Arthropoda
Species ID
OC-SP-0002603
Provisional Species Name
Heteroserolis sp_MoV7426
Lowest Valid Taxon Name in WoRMS
Heteroserolis
Lowest Known Rank
Genus
Status
Discovered
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Embargo
No
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Arthropoda
Class
Malacostraca
Order
Isopoda
Family
Serolidae
Genus
Heteroserolis
Date Identified
12/11/2025
Taxonomic Remarks
Heteroserolis MoV7426 is distinguished from other species in the genus by absence of dorsal ornamentation except for medial tubercles and a pair of small tubercles on the pleotelson. Heteroserolis levidorsata has a somewhat similar shape but differs in having no middorsal tubercles and a relatively longer uropodal exopod. Interim diagnosis. Based on female and male. Female 1.5 times as long as wide; male 1.4 times as long as wide. Body dorsally not setose. Head with 1 prominent posterior tubercle; pereonites 2–4, pleonites 1–3 each bearing erect median tubercle; pereonites 1–6, pleonities 2, 3 laterally smooth in female; pereon, pleon sculpture similar in both sexes. Pereonite 1 anterolateral margins convex. Coxal dorsal plates 1–6 marginally contiguous, plate 6 less so; coxal dorsal plates 2–4 not delimited from pereonite tergites by suture; plate 6 just overlapping pleonal epimeron 2. Male coxal ventral plates 2–4 meeting mesially, without mesial marginal ridges; coxal ventral plates 5, 6 serially fused, bearing bifid lobe and pair of lobes bearing gonopores. Pleonites 2, 3 epimera margins squarish in dorsal view. Pleotelson parallel-sided over anterior one-third, triangular beyond; 0.85 times as long as wide; with median ridge over most of length, with pair of sublateral acute posteriorly-directed tubercles at about half of pleotelson length; apex truncate. Pleonite 1 sternite with prominent grooved keel reaching middle of smaller keel on pleonite 2; pleonite 2 keel overlapping pleonite 3 keel; pleonite 3 with grooved keel almost as long as that on pleonite 2. Uropod attaching at about one-third length of pleotelson lateral margin; endopod extending to lateral corner of pleotelson apex; exopod half as long as endopod, as wide distally as endopod, with crenellate truncate distal margin.
Received All Minimal Data for Discovery
01/04/2026
Description of Material
The species is known from a five individuals, males up to 6.9 mm long, ovigerous females, 10.3 mm.
Ecology
Like all members of this family, Serolidae, the species is benthic living on the surface of the sediment.
Distribution
Australia, NSW, Tas. Southeast Shelf Transition; 140–202 m depth.
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