A new species of the genus Polycheria (Peracarida, Amphipoda, Dexaminidae) from South Korea

Polycheria acercaudasp. nov., an amphipod symbiotic with sponges and ascidians in Korean waters, is established herein as a new species, along with a detailed description and illustrations. This new species is closely related to the following three known species of the genus from the Far East:Polycheria amakusaensisHirayama, 1984,P. japonicaBulycheva, 1952, andP. orientalisHirayama, 1984. However,Polycheria acercaudasp. nov. can be distinguished from the other congeners by the following combination of characteristics: (1) on antenna 2, the anterior margin of peduncular article 4 is pubescent; (2) on gnathopod 2, the palm is clearly distinct; (3) on uropod 3, the inner ramus is lined with plumose setae; and (4) on the telson, the apices are acute. This is the first report of the genusPolycheriaHaswell, 1879 belonging to the family Dexaminidae Leach, 1814 from Korean waters.