New Records ofHyachelia tortugaeBarnard, 1967, andH. lowryiSerejo and Sittrop, 2009 (Amphipoda: Gammaridea: Hyalidae), from Palmyra Atoll National Wildlife Refuge: Cooccurrence on Pacific Green Turtles (Chelonia mydas).

Abstract

ABSTRACT Amphipods of the genus Hyachelia collected during an epibiont survey conducted over three years (2009, 2010, and 2011) at Palmyra Atoll are reported. Both known species, i.e., Hyachelia tortugae Barnard, 1967, and Hyachelia lowryi Serejo and Sittrop, 2009, were collected from Pacific green turtles, Chelonia mydas (Linnaeus). Given the increased awareness of epibionts and the desire of researchers to make positive identifications, figures of the diagnostic features of both amphipod species are presented. The significance of the cooccurrence of these two species on Pacific green turtles (Chelonia mydas) is discussed.