Lanceola chelifera Vinogradov

Zeidler, Wolfgang, 2009, A review of the hyperiidean amphipod superfamily Lanceoloidea Bowman & Gruner, 1973 (Crustacea: Amphipoda: Hyperiidea), Zootaxa 2000, pp. 1-117 : 50-52

Lanceola chelifera Vinogradov

( Fig. 16)

Lanceola chelifera Vinogradov, 1970: 388–391 , figs 3 & 4. Vinogradov et al. 1982: 75–77, fig 21.

Type material. This species was described from five specimens caught in the Kurile-Kamchatka region of the North-west Pacific. Female, 9.5 mm, Vityaz Stn. 5612 [45º23’– 45°34’N 153º04’– 152º48’E]; 0–5850m, July / Aug. 1966. Male, 9 mm, Vityaz Stn. 5617 [45º44’– 45 º47’N 153º45’– 153º33’E], 0–4000 m , 4–7 Aug. 1966. Two juveniles, 3.5 & 5.5 mm, Vityaz Stn. 5626 [45º11’N 152º28’E]; 3000–4000 m , 23–24 Aug. 1966. Female, 9 mm, Vityaz Stn. 5631 [43º43’– 43º47’N 149º39’– 149º56’E]; 5240 m , 2–3 Sep. 1966. The female from Stn. 5612 is described and illustrated by Vinogradov (1970). The ZMMU has two lots labelled “ Holotype ” and Paratype on the microscope slides (Mb –1040 & Mb –1041) but they should be regarded as syntypes because type material was not designated in publication .

Diagnosis. According to Vinogradov (1970). Only known from the above five specimens; females of length up to 9.5 mm and males up to 9.0 mm. Habitus like L. clausi . Head without rostrum. Eyes very small, reniform, without crystalline cones. Antennae 1 as long as head and first pereonite (?) combined; terminal article as long as preceding two combined. Antennae 2 relatively short, slightly longer than A1. Pereopod 3 similar to, but marginally shorter than P4; with relatively broad articles (except for propodus and dactylus); basis length 3x merus; carpus almond-shaped, twice as long as maximum width, posterior margin with row of robust setae, length 2.3x merus; propodus relatively narrow, length about 0.8x carpus; dactylus length 0.4x propodus. Pereopod 5 with subchela formed by dactylus and setose palmate margin of propodus; slightly shorter than P4; basis length twice merus; merus length 1.5x carpus; propodus length twice carpus, expanded distally, without hood for dactylus, palmate margin armed with three pairs of strong setae and distally with row of shorter setae; dactylus only marginally retractile, curved, pressed against palmate margin of propodus, reaching middle of propodus. Pereopod 6 slightly longer than P5, similar in length to P3; basis length almost twice merus; carpus slightly longer than merus; propodus as long as basis, with spoon-shaped depression housing small, curved dactylus. Pereopod 7; length 0.7x P6; articles of similar proportions to P6 but propodus relatively shorter. Peduncle of U1 does not exceed limit of peduncle of U2. Uropod 3; peduncle and inner ramus relatively narrow; peduncle width 0.5x length. Telson pointed; length almost 0.7x peduncle of U3.

Colour of living specimens not recorded.

Remarks. I have not seen any specimens of this species but accept its validity based on the observations of Vinogradov (1970).

This species is readily distinguished by the subchelate character of pereopods 3–5. It is one of the few species of Lanceola in which the dactylus of pereopod 5 is not fully retractile and hooded. It is most similar to L. sphaerica in the subchelate character of pereopod 5 but in the latter this character is not as well developed and the dactylus is only partly hooded, and pereopods 3 & 4 are much weaker and are not subchelate.

. Distribution. Only known from the Kurile-Kamchatka region of the Pacific Ocean, from five specimens as detailed above .