A NEW SPECIES OF UROTHOE (AMPHIPODA, GAMMARIDEA) FROM THE IBERIAN PENINSULA

During a study of the amphipod fauna from the coast of the Strait of G ibraltar some specimens of the genus Urothoe were collected in sand fr om the infralittoral mediterranean zone. A careful examination of thes e amphipods revealed that they were morphologically close to Urothoe i ntermedia but represented an undescribed species. The new species Urot hoe hesperiae is described and compared with the other congeneric spec ies. Diagnostic characters are: 1. the large size of adults, 2. the le ngths of the first antenna and accessory flagellum, 3. the inner plate of the first maxilla with four apical plumose setae, 3. the pereopod 5 with carpus wider than merus and dactylus nodulate, 5. the specific armature of the pereopods, coral plates and telson.