Pontonia manningi Fransen, 2000

(Figs. 19–22)

Material examined: 20o10´11”S, 37o27´70”W, 60m, 1 male (3mm), MNRJ 19460.

Diagnosis: Carapace, rostrum directed slightly downwards, flattened dorsally, upper margin with a small distal tooth and lower margin with a larger distal tooth. Strong, acute antennal spine. Stylocerite broad, with acute tip, reaching less than a half of basal antennular segment length, anteroleteral tooth well developed, reaching a half of second antenular peduncle segment length. Scaphocerite with distal tooth small, not overreaching blade. Telson with 2 pairs of dorsolateral cuspidate setae, and 3 pairs of distal cuspidate setae.

Description: Carapace, rostrum directed slightly downwards, flattened dorsally, upper margin with a small distal tooth and lower margin with a larger distal tooth; strong, acute antennal spine; branchiostegal and hepatic spines absent (Fig. 23 A). Stylocerite broad, with acute tip, reaching less than a half of basal antennular segment length, anteroleteral tooth well developed, reaching a half of second antenular peduncle segment length (Fig. 19 B). Scaphocerite with distal tooth small, not overreaching blade (Fig. 19 C). Mandible, incisor process curved, slender with 4 distal teeth and 2 median teeth; molar process formed by 5 strong blunt teeth and several acute median teeth; palp absent (Fig. 20 A). Maxilla 1, distal endite with cupidate serrate setae on inner margin; palp bilobed distally, inner lobe curved, outer lobe small (Fig. 20 B). Maxilla 2, scaphognathite with plumose setae on all margins; endopod one third of the scaphognathite length; endite bilobed both lobes slender, directed upwards, with simple setae on inner margin (Fig. 20 C). Maxilliped 1, exopodal lobe broad, with plumose setae on outer margin; exopod well developed, once and a half the exopodal lobe length, with plumose articulated setae on tip; endopod one third of exopod length; endite with simple setae on inner margin (Fig. 20 D). Maxilliped 2, basis and ischium fused; carpus short; large propodus with simple setae on anterior margin; dactylus slender, with serrate setae on anterior inner margin, and simple setae on posterior inner margin. Maxilliped 3, basis, ischium and merus fused with simple setae on inner margin; carpus with simple setae on inner margin; propodus and dactylus fused, small, with simple setae on inner margin (Fig. 20 E). Pereopod 1 slender and elongate, shorter than second; propodus twice dactylar length (Fig. 21 A). Pereopod 2 stronger and heavier than others; propodus broad, almost three times dactylar length (Fig. 21 B). Pereopod 3 to 5 with dactylus short, broad biunguiculate (Fig. 21 C–E); Pereopod 3, longer than pereopods 4 and 5 (Fig. 21 C). Pereopod 4, propodus with one distal small cuspidate seta (Fig. 21 D). Pereopod 5, shorter than pereopods 3 and 4; propodus with one distal small cuspidate seta (Fig. 215E). Male endopod of pleopod 1 leaf-like, with 4 small cuspidate setae on lateral margin (Fig. 22 A). Male endopod of pleopod 2, appendix masculina two thirds of appendix interna length, with serrate setae on tip and on lateral margins (Fig. 22 B); appendix interna digitiform with hook setae on tip (Fig. 22 B). Telson with 2 pairs of dorsolateral cuspidate setae, and 3 pairs of distal cuspidate setae (Fig. 22 C). Endopod of uropod without diaresis; lateral margin not ending in sharp triangular projection; without a posterolateral tooth (Fig. 22 C).

Distribution: Western Atlantic: Caribbean Sea, North Caroline, Georgia, Florida, Gulf of Mexico, and Brazil (Espírito Santo). Eastern Atlantic: Canary Islands, Cape Verde Islands.

Remarks: Only one species of genus Pontonia is recorded in Brazilian waters: Pontonia margarita Smith, 1869 (Ramos-Porto & Coelho, 1998). Holthuis (1951a) observed some variations (in rostrum and dactyl shape, and telson setae pattern) between Atlantic and Pacific specimens of P. m a rg a r i t a. Fransen (2000) compared a large number of specimens referred to as P. m a rg a r i t a from East Pacific and West Atlantic and described Pontonia manningi, based on Caribbean Sea material, presuming that the Atlantic specimens of P. m a rg a r i t a are synonymous to this new species. To distinguish these two species Fransen (2000) used differences in rostrum ventral tooth, robust in P. manningi and small in P. m a rg a r i t a; distolateral margin of basal antennular segment, with tooth in P. manningi and without tooth in P. margarita; and scaphocerite distal tooth, directed slightly inward in P. m a n n i n g i and directed strongly inwards in P. margarita .

The specimen herein examined agrees with Fransen’s (2000; 2002) description in having all features mentioned to distinguish P. manningi from P. m a rg a r i t a and the stylocerite broad at base with acute tip; scaphocerite distal tooth small not overreaching blade; and mouth parts shape and setae pattern. A variation was observed on telson distal cuspidate setae, the outer pair is bigger and the inner pair is stouter than in Fransen´s (200; 2002) descriptions.