Callipallene californiensis (Hall, 1913)

de Leon-Espinosa, Angel & de Leon-Gonzalez, Jesus A., 2015, Pycnogonids associated with the giant lion's-paw scallop Nodipectensubnodosus (Sowerby) in Ojo de Liebre Bay, Guerrero Negro, Baja California Sur, Mexico, ZooKeys 530, pp. 129-149 : 134

Taxon classification Animalia Pantopoda Callipallenidae

Callipallene californiensis (Hall, 1913) Fig. 3

Pallene californiensis Hall 1913: 133, Pl. 4, figs 9-13; Hilton 1915a: 67; 1915b: 204; 1916: 465, fig. 6; 1920: 93.

Callipallene californiensis : Hilton 1942b: 281, pl. 36; 1942c: 38.

Callipallene solicitatus Child 1979: 44-46, fig. 15.

Material examined.

Ojo de Liebre Bay, Guerrero Negro, Baja California Sur, scallop fishing area: La Concha, 27°50'35"N, 114°16'22"W, (UANL-FCB-PYCNO-0047), AC-2, (1♂), 01/12/2012.

Description.

Proboscis short and rounded distally (Fig. 3A), with three smooth lips.

Chelifores with two segments: scape one-segmented, short, with a distal row of short spines. Chela large, chelate, with two dorsal and lateral rows of three spines each. The inferior chela finger is thin, articulated, with eleven teeth, extending beyond the distal portion of the upper finger, armed with nine teeth (Fig. 3C).

Palps absent. Ocular tubercle conical and apparently eyeless, located on cephalic segment just forward of the first pair of lateral processes (Fig. 3B).

Trunk short, robust, anterior corners of the first body segment rounded. Slender neck basally, almost as thick as its length in the distal part (Fig. 3A). Distinct segmentation lines between body segments.

Lateral processes without accessory structures, first and second pairs separated approximately by twice their diameters, second to fourth pairs separated approximately by their own diameter (Fig. 3A, B).

Oviger consists of ten segments, first three short, fourth segment as long as the second and third ones together. Fifth segment longest, with an apophysis at the distal end and a row of four long spines on the ventral surface. Apophysis has several long ventral setae. Sixth segment short, with a cluster of long setae at the ventrodistal end. Segments seven to ten (strigilis) each have a single ventral row of denticulate oviger spines with the formula 7: 8: 10: 7, and long setae are present on the dorsodistal end of segments seven, eight, and nine (Fig. 3D). Terminal oviger claw absent.

Legs consisting of eight segments (Fig. 3E). Coxa I very short, with a row of setae along the distalmost edge of the segment. Coxa II, longest of the three coxae, with two spines on the dorsal side and a cluster of long spines at the distalmost ventral edge of the segment. Coxa III, slightly longer than coxa I, with two spines on the ventral surface and a cluster of long spines at the distalmost ventral edge of the segment. Femur narrow in its proximal part, broadening at the distal end, with a row of long spines at the dorsodistal end. Tibia I with a row of long spines covering the entire dorsal surface and a short row of spines covering the second half of the ventral surface. Tibia II with a row of long spines running nearly the entire length of the ventral surface and a row of spines running the entire length of the dorsal surface, in the following pattern: 2-4 short spines then a long spine (twice as long as the short spines), repeated several times. Tarsus short, curved, about half the length of coxa I, without spines. Propodus with a scattered row of long spines on the dorsal surface and a row of long spines at the distalmost end. There are several rows of long heel and sole spines on the ventral surface, a thick terminal claw less than ½ (0.41) the length of the propodus, and two thin auxiliary claws, ½ the length of the terminal claw (Fig. 3F).

Abdomen short, conical, as long as its diameter, located above the fourth segment of the body, its front end marking the separation between the third and fourth segments (Fig. 3 A–B).

Standard measurements.

Proboscis 0.3 mm long, 0.29 mm wide.

Body 0.7 mm long from anterior end of cephalic segment to end of fourth lateral processes, 0.43 mm wide between second pair of lateral processes.

Leg 1 4.39 mm long from coxa I to the tip of main claw. Coxa I, 0.15 mm, coxa II, 0.54 mm, coxa III, 0.23 mm, femur 1.08 mm, tibia I, 0.78 mm, tibia II, 1.08 mm, tarsus, 0.05 mm, propodus 0.34 mm, claw 0.14 mm.

Oviger 1.5 mm long, first segment 0.05 mm, second 0.1 mm, third 0.14 mm, fourth 0.25 mm, fifth 0.37 mm, sixth 0.11 mm, seventh 0.12 mm, eighth 0.11 mm, ninth 0.13 mm, tenth 0.12 mm.

Distribution.

Laguna Beach, California, La Paz Bay, Gulf of California, and Pacific coast of Panama.

Remarks.

Callipallene californiensis (Hall, 1913) had been reported rarely and appeared to be restricted to California. Hilton (1942c) re-described the species and provided an illustration of a complete specimen. Later, Child (1979) described Callipallene solicitatus from La Paz Bay, Gulf of California and the Pacific coast of Panama, providing a complete description and illustrations. Child (1987) reviewed the types of Hall and commented upon previous reports of this species, as well as designating Callipallene solicitatus a junior synonym of Callipallene californiensis . Our specimen agrees with the original description of Callipallene californiensis , and is located within its range of distribution (California to Panama). However, one character varies significantly, the proportion of the main claw is 75% the length of the propodus in Callipallene californiensis , whereas in our specimen it is 41%; otherwise, all other characters are similar.