A new genus and species of deep-water marine cirolanid isopod (Crustacea: Isopoda: Cirolanidae) from the Philippines

Abstract

Sululana buta new genus, new species is described from deep water in the Sulu Sea, Philippines. The new genus shows weak affinities to Metacirolana Kussakin, 1979, and no clear affinities to other cirolanid genera. The genus is defined by the unicuspid mandible incisor; maxilla with two simple lobes with endopod less than half size of exopod; all pereopods with haptorial pereopods (i.e., dactylus longer than propodus); pereopod dactylus lacking secondary unguis; pleopod 1 exopod opercular and indurate; and all endopods less than half size of exopods. Sululana buta new genus, new species is known only from the type locality in the Sulu Sea, at a depth of 1,016 m