Acanthaspidia namibia n. sp. (Isopoda, Acanthaspidiidae) from the deep Angola Basin

Acanthaspidia namibia n. sp. was sampled off Namibia on the abyssal plain of the Angola Basin in 5390 m depth from board of the RV ‘Meteor’ in August 2000. Acanthaspidia neonotus (Menzies & George, 1972) is the most similar species, which has also been described from the deep sea, but from the Pacific Ocean in a comparative depth. The new species differs in bearing numerous long simple setae all over the body surface, and in the length of the maxillipedal epipod, which reaches the third palpal article, whereas that of A. neonotus reaches only the first.