LASIONECTES EXLEYI, SP-NOV, THE FIRST REMIPEDE CRUSTACEAN RECORDED FROM AUSTRALIA AND THE INDIAN-OCEAN, WITH A KEY TO THE WORLD SPECIES

The first remipede crustacean from the Southern Hemisphere and the Ind ian Ocean is reported. Lasionectes exleyi, sp. nov., is described from an anchialine cave on the Cape Range peninsula of Western Australia. This is the eleventh species of modern remipede to be described and th e second species to be described in the genus Lasionectes. A key to al l known species is presented. The discovery of remipedes in Australia represents the first occurrence of a genus other than Speleonectes off the Bahamas Banks and only the second continental occurrence of extan t remipedes. The species is known from below a density interface in a single nutrient-enriched cave.