Family Gammaridae

Melita festiva? (Chilton, 1885).

Moera festiva Chilton, 1885: 1037, pl. 46, fig. 2.

Melita festiva Chilton, 1916: 359–362, figs. 1–2.

Hurley, 1954: 602.

Material Examined: Station CUF (VUZ. 19), 1 male, 8 mm.

Distribution: Auckland Harbour; Cook Strait, N.Z.; ? Sydney Harbour, Australia.

Discussion: I have previously commented (Hurley, 1954) on the obvious confusion of two New Zealand species under Ceradocus rubromaculatus. Dr. K. Sheard (personal communication) tells me he is quite certain that Chilton's M. festiva (Australia, 1885) and M. festiva (New Zealand, 1916) belong in Melita, and that Stephensen's inclusion of these in C. rubromaculatus is in error. "The Australian species is quite common in Sydney Harbour and Chilton has figured the rami of Uropod III of the New Zealand one quite well—it conforms to that from Australia."

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This specimen agrees with Chilton's (1916) in the pleon and generally in other features although gnathopod 2 is not as long proportionately as in his fig. 1, and is considerably more toothed in the palm. Uropod 3 is missing in this specimen which makes specific identification a little less positive than could have been desired. Since the New Zealand specimens have not been finally confirmed as identical with the Australian type material—although indications are that the two are identical—I have left this as M. festiva?

It is possible that the second gnathopod palm is subject to variations like those indicated by Sheard (1939) for the Ceradocus (Denticeradocus) complex.