Abstract – Sampling of the littoral and sublittoral benthos around Esperance, Western Australia,
undertaken in February 2003 revealed, inter alia, a large number of tanaidaceans. In most habitats studied, this was the dominant order of peracarid crustaceans present, being more numerous than amphipods, isopods or mysids. The tanaidacean fauna of Australia has been relatively understudied. In addition, material collected from grab surveys of Esperance Bay in 2002, and held at the Western Australia Museum, contained valuable additional material of the new species found in 2003, as well as two species not found then, one of those new to science. 597 individuals representing 26 species, 24 of these new to science and only two previously recorded from Australia, and representing 21 genera (two new to science) were distinguished. All the material is described herein. Notes on their ecology, including shore zonation and habitat associations, are given.
