Acanthephyra quadrispinosa Kemp, 1939

Cardoso, Irene & Contents, Paulo Young Table Of, 2005, Deep-sea Oplophoridae (Crustacea Caridea) from the southwestern Brazil, Zootaxa 1031 (1), pp. 1-76 : 21-26

Acanthephyra quadrispinosa Kemp, 1939

( Figs 14–18 )

Acanthephyra batei — Stebbing, 1905: 107, pl. 24B (not A. batei Faxon, 1895 ).

Acanthephyra quadrispinosa Kemp, 1939: 576 ; Barnard, 1950: 668, fig. 124g; Chace, 1986: 26, figs 3h, 4t, 7g, 10c, 14; Kensley, 1987: 284.

Material examined: Revizee Program: E­0540, 21°12’S, 40°00’W, 1364m, 1 ovigerous female (16mm), MNRJ 14837 . Oceanprof I: 22°48'S, 40°15'W, 1324m, A­8, 1 male (14mm), MNRJ 19195 .

Diagnosis: Carapace with rostrum overreaching scaphocerite, ventral margin with three to seven teeth; antennal spine present; branchiostegal spine present with distinct carina extending twice length of spine. Abdomen dorsally carinate on all somites, except on somite 1; somites 3 to 6 with posteromesial tooth, the one of somite 3 distinctly strong. Telson sulcate on dorsal midline, with four pairs of dorsolateral stout setae (modified from Chace 1986).

Description: Eyestalk with an ocellus on median distal portion ( Fig. 14C ). Carapace with rostrum usually as long as carapace, overreaching scaphocerite, ventral margin straight, with, six teeth, dorsal margin with eight teeth ( Fig. 14A ); dorsal margin not carinate; antennal spine present; branchiostegal spine present, with distinct carina extending twice length of spine; supraorbital and pterygostomian spine absent; cervical groove absent and suprabranchial groove not well marked ( Fig. 14A, B ). Stylocerite narrow, ending in sharp apex almost reaching end of first antennular peduncle article ( Fig. 14D ). Scaphocerite narrow, with blunt apex, and densely plumose setae on inner margin ( Fig. 14E ). Mandible with palp three­articulated, incisor process with about eight teeth, and a serrate area; molar process triangular, with numerous simple short setae ( Fig. 15A, B ). Maxilla 1 with two endites, distal with numerous stout serrate setae on inner margin; basal endite with pappose setae on distal margin and pectinate setae on inner margin; palp with unarmed, rounded apex, and 2 stout setae on a protuberance ( Fig. 15C ). Maxilla 2 with two endites, distal endite bilobed, both lobe with long, stout, pectinate setae on inner margin; basal endite rounded, with densely plumose setae on inner margin; endopod as long as endites, with pappose setae on apex, and several slender, simple setae on inner margin; scaphognathite with densely plumose setae on all margins ( Fig. 15D ). Maxilliped 1, endite with pectinate setae on inner margin, and scattered plumose setae on distal margin; endopod three­articulated, almost as long as distal endite, with several pappose setae on apex and several simple setae on inner margin; exopodal lobe with densely plumose setae on all margins ( Fig. 15E ). Maxilliped 2, endopod with elongate ischium and merus, with pappose setae on inner margin; carpus short; propod rounded, with long, stout setae on inner margin; dactyl with long, stout setae on inner margin; exopod with densely plumose setae on margins ( Fig. 15F ). Maxilliped 3 slender and elongate, propod­dactyl with stout setae in apex; exopod with densely plumose setae on margins ( Fig. 15G ). Pereopods 1 and 2 chelate. Pereopod 3, ischium with three to four stout setae on inner margin; merus with ten to 14 stout setae on inner margin. Pereopod 4, ischium with two to five stout setae on inner margin; merus with ten robust setae on inner margin. Pereopod 5, ischium with one or without seta on inner margin; merus with five to eight stout setae on inner margin ( Fig. 14A, B ). Epipods with mesial teeth, on pereopods 1 to 3 ( Fig. 16A, B ). Abdomen dorsally carinate on all somites, except on somite 1; somites 3 to 6 with posteromesial tooth; the one of somite 3 distinctly strong; somite 6 at least two times longer than wide ( Fig. 14A, B ). Male pleopod 1, endopod rounded, with pappose setae on posterior margin, scattered plumose setae on anterior margin, an anterior distal lobe elongate, with hook setae on apex, and scattered plumose setae on base ( Fig. 16C ). Male pleopod 2, appendix masculina elongate, with acute pectinate setae on apex; appendix interna 2/3 of appendix masculina length, with scattered plumose setae on lateral margins and hook setae on triangular apex ( Fig. 16D ). Female pleopod 1, endopod leaf shaped, with densely plumose setae on lateral margins ( Fig. 16E ). Exopod of uropod without diaresis, with a distal spine on outer margin ( Fig. 17A ). Telson sulcate in dorsal midline, with four pairs of dorsolateral stout setae, two pairs of distal stout setae ( Fig. 17A, B ).

Distribution: In the South Atlantic Ocean; from 35°S to 40°S. Brazil (Espírito Santo and Rio de Janeiro), 21°S, 40°W. Indian and Pacific Oceans: from East Africa to 163°W, and from 25°N to 44°S; between depths of 250 and 1700 m ( Barnard 1950; Chace 1986; Wasmer 1986).

Remarks: Acanthephyra quadrispinosa is widely distributed in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. In the Atlantic Ocean this species was recorded by Kemp (1939) from the Challenger and Dana Expeditions, and from Discovery Committee ( Fig. 18 ). In his account on Acanthephyra purpurea A. Milne Edwards, 1881 species group, Kemp (1939) affirms that A. purpurea and A. pelagica (Risso 1816) occur in the North Atlantic, and A. sexpinosa Kemp, 1939 and A. acanthitelsonis Bate, 1888 occur in the Central and South Atlantic occurs. Kemp (1939) observes the southern limit of A. sexpinosa as 18°S, and for A. quadrispinosa between 35°S and 40°S. Acanthephyra sexpinosa has six dorsolateral stout setae on the telson and abdominal somites 4 and 5 do not have dorsal tooth, while A. quadrispinosa has four dorsolateral stout setae on the telson and abdominal somites 4 and 5 have dorsal tooth. Latter, A. sexpinosa was considered synonym of A. kingsleyi Bate, 1888 ( Crosnier & Forest 1973).

Acanthephyra brevirostris Smith, 1885 has the dorsal tooth on abdominal somite 3 large, fleshy, overreaching abdominal somite 4, while A. quadrispinosa has it of normal size. Acanthephyra curtirostris Wood­Mason, 1891 , and A. media Bate, 1888 , have the rostrum ventral margins with one or two teeth, while A. quadrispinosa has more than two teeth. Acanthephyra pelagica and A. acanthitelsonis have seven to 19 pairs of dorsolateral stout setae on the telson, while A. quadrispinosa has four to six pairs of dorsolateral stout setae. Acanthephyra purpurea and A. kingsleyi have abdominal somite 4 without dorsal tooth, while A. quadrispinosa has abdominal somite 4 with dorsal tooth.

In Brazilian waters A. acutifrons , A. eximia , A. quadrispinosa and A. stylorostratis occur. Acanthephyra quadrispinosa differs from A. eximia and A. acutifrons in length of carapace dorsal carina, in the number of dorsal and ventral teeth of rostrum, and on length of carapace. Acanthephyra quadrispinosa differs from A. stylorostratis in the rostrum shape, in the carapace without dorsal carina and in the short branchiostegal groove ( Table 1).

The specimens examined agrees with descriptions of with Chace (1940, 1986), Barnard (1950) and Wasmer (1986) in the presence of a branchiostegal spine, with a distinct carina that extends twice the length of spine, the carapace without dorsal carina, the abdominal somites 2–6 dorsally carinate, the dorsal tooth present in abdominal somite 4, and the four pairs of dorsolateral stout setae on telson.

Figures

FIGURE 14 — Acanthephyra quadrispinosa Kemp, 1939, ovigerous female, MNRJ 14837 (carapace length 16mm); A, lateral view. Male, MNRJ 19195 (carapace length 14mm); B, lateral view; C, ocular peduncle and cornea, lateral view; D, right antennule, dorsal view; E, right scaphocerite, dorsal view (as, antennal spine; brs, branchiostegal spine; sbrg, suprabranchial groove; st, stylocerite).

FIGURE 15 — Acanthephyra quadrispinosa Kemp, 1939, male, MNRJ 19195; A, left mandible, dorsal view; B, right mandible, dorsal view; C, left maxilla 1, dorsal view; D, left maxilla 2, dorsal view; E, left maxilliped 1, dorsal view; F, left maxilliped 2, dorsal view; G, left maxilliped 3, dorsal view.

FIGURE 16 — Acanthephyra quadrispinosa Kemp, 1939, male, MNRJ 19195; A, epipod of right second pereopod, lateral view; B, epipod of left second pereopod, lateral view; C, endopod of right first pleopod, lateral view; D, appendix interna and masculina of right second pleopod, lateral view. Ovigerous female, MNRJ 14837 (carapace length 16mm) E, endopod of right first pleopod, lateral view (ai, appendix interna; am, appendix masculina).

FIGURE 17 — Acanthephyra quadrispinosa Kemp, 1939, male, MNRJ 19195; telson and uropods, dorsal view.

FIGURE 18 — Geographic distribution of Acanthephyra quadrispinosa Kemp, 1939.