Niteomica captainkiddae, Ivanov & Scheltema, 2008

Ivanov, Dmitry L. & Scheltema, Amélie H., 2008, NMR solution structures of KAP- 1 PHD finger-bromodomain, Zootaxa 1885, pp. 1-60 : 22-25

Niteomica captainkiddae n. sp.

( Figures 1H , 14 , 15 , 18A–C , 24C , 25 ; Tables 1–4a)

Type material: Holotype USNM 1112614 . Paratypes: USNM; TAMU ; ZMUM Le1–158 (DGoMB stn S36

rep. 2); Le1–159 (NGoMCS 5421 stn WC 4/3); Le1–160 (DGoMB stn RW 5/1); Le1–161 (DGoMB stn MT 4/ 3).

Type locality: Gulf of Mexico, 27°30'25"N, 89°49'23"W, 1,198 m (NGoMCS, sample 3043, station C8/1, 14.11.1984) .

Material examined: Off North Carolina, 1 specimen ( Table 3a); Florida coast, 3 specimens ( Table 3b); Gulf of Mexico, 88 specimens ( Table 1); Guiana Basin, 23 specimens ( Table 4a) .

Diagnosis: Very prickly with large, sharply pointed sclerites; opaque, body to 4.5 mm, anterior trunk somewhat wider than posterior trunk, length of posterium variable from 1/3 to>3/4 trunk length, shank scarcely set off from trunk, clearly set off from knob fringed by single row of sclerites twice or more length of knob; oral shield sclerites in 2 rows. Trunk sclerites large, thick, longitudinal axis straight, base very broad, proximal end often angular, blade short, narrow, sharply ridged or striated longitudinally.

Etymology: Named in honor of the Captain Kidd Pub (Woods Hole), very famous for oceanographers and marine biologists where we have discussed a lot of our zoological and other problems… and made a lot of good friends. The feminine genitive form reflects the gender of "pub" in Spanish, German, Russian and other languages, just as "ship" is feminine (e.g., Neopilina galatheae ).

Description: External appearance ( Figs 1H , 14A–C ): Medium-size, to 4.5 x 1.25 mm, but width deceptive owing to large, prickly sclerites which also mask division between trunk and broad shank, posterium/ trunk index greatly variable, 0.35–0.85; holotype length 3.8 mm, anterium 0.2 mm, trunk 2.7 x 1.0 mm, shank 0.5 x 0.5 mm, knob 0.4 mm, posterium/trunk index 0.33. Oral shield 1.2 mm in height, each of 2 rows with 8– 10 sclerites, those of outer row much the largest ( Fig. 14D ). Knob bulb- or cone-shaped, fringed by a row of very long sclerites.

Sclerites ( Figs 14G , 15 , 18 A–C ): General: Large in length, base width, and blade thickness, longitudinally straight, thickened symmetrically, many proximally angular; waist distinct on all but oral shield and knob sclerites; blade narrow, sharply pointed, shorter than broad base and bent outwards from base ( Fig. 15M ), sharply ridged and striated ( Fig. 18C ), base almost without longitudinal striations ( Fig. 18B ). Oral shield ( Fig. 15A ): asymmetrical, drop-shaped with rounded proximal end, thin, to 80 x 40 x 3 µm, thickest medially, no waist. Dorsal to oral shield ( Fig. 15B ): distally pointed, to 160 x 60 x 4 µm. Anterium ( Fig. 15C, D ): short, broad or narrow, length of blade and base equal, to 250 x 30–95 x 7 µm, thickest medially on blade or base. Dorsal trunk ( Figs 14G , 15F, H, I , 18A, B ): as in general description, blade equal to or less than 1/2 total length, to 500 x 150 x 10 µm, thickest on blade near waist. Ventral trunk ( Figs 15E,G ): similar to those from dorsal trunk, but most shorter and slightly less wide. Shank ( Fig. 15J ): similar to those from dorsal trunk but blade longer, to 3/4 total length, bent sharply outwards from base, to 750 x 140 x 12 µm, thickest on blade near waist. Knob ( Fig. 15K ): relatively short needles to 200 µm. Fringing ( Fig. 15L ): very long, straight, narrow, to 1,200 x 15 x 10 µm.

Radula and jaws: 1 examined. Jaws 680 x 320 µm ( Fig. 14E ); radula teeth 150 µm long, serrated membrane about 110 µm, situated in middle of tooth; central plate curved, to 50 µm ( Fig. 14F ).

Distribution: Continental slope and rise: off North Carolina ~ 850 m, Florida Coast 289–329 m, Gulf of Mexico 545–1,875 m, and Guiana Basin 508 m and 1,456 m ( Tables 1, 2, 3a, b, 4a) ( Figs. 24C , 25 ).

Remarks: Niteomica captainkiddae is distinguished from the other known, eastern Atlantic species N. hystrix Scheltema & Ivanov, 2000 by the much broader sclerite base with scarcely any longitudinal striations and the short blade with numerous sharp longitudinal ridges or striations.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Holotypes of new Prochaetodermatidae species in the western Atlantic Ocean south of 35°N. A. Chevroderma cuspidatum, Gulf of Mexico. B. Claviderma amplum, Gulf of Mexico. C. Spathoderma compactum, Argentine Basin. D. Claviderma crassum, Guiana Basin. E. Spathoderma bulbosum, Gulf of Mexico. F. Claviderma mexicanum, Gulf of Mexico. G. Prochaetoderma gilrowei, Gulf of Mexico. H. Niteomica captainkiddae, Gulf of Mexico. I. Spathoderma quadratum, Gulf of Mexico.

FIGURE 14. Niteomica captainkiddae n. sp., Gulf of Mexico. A, G. Holotype (NGoMCS sample 3043). B–F. Paratypes (C is juvenile) (NGoMCS 5436). A, B, C. Entire. D. Oral shield sclerites in situ. E. Jaw. F. Radula tooth and central plate. G. Mid-trunk sclerites.

FIGURE 15. Niteomica captainkiddae n. sp., sclerites from same paratype as Figure 14B. A. Oral shield. B. Dorsal to oral shield. C. Dorsal anterium. D. Lateral and ventral anterium. E. Ventral anterior trunk. F. Dorsal anterior trunk. G. Ventral mid-trunk. H, I. Dorsal mid-trunk. J. Shank. K. Knob. L. Fringe. M. Lateral view of trunk sclerite showing blade bent outward at waist from base, but both blade and base curved toward body.

FIGURE 18. Sclerites of n. spp., western Atlantic Prochaetodermatidae (SEM). A–C. From paratype of Niteomica captainkiddae (DGoMB, S36/2). A. Mid-trunk sclerites as they appear in situ. B. Frontal view of posterior trunk sclerite showing blade bent outward from the body. C. Anterior trunk sclerites showing sharp ridges on blade. D–F. From paratype of Prochaetoderma gilrowei, type locality. D, F. Frontal view of mid-trunk sclerite showing ridges on blade and fine striations on base just below waist. E. Frontal view of mid-trunk sclerite showing blade curved towards body (cf. straight sclerite in Fig. 17J).

FIGURE 24. A–C. Distribution of Prochaetodermatidae species in the Gulf of Mexico. Stations without prochaetodermatid species indicated by small black circles.

FIGURE 25. Distribution of Prochaetodermatidae species outside the Gulf of Mexico but restricted to the western Atlantic south of 35ºN.