Cordylochele longicollis Sars, 1888

Staples, David A., 2014, A revision of the callipallenid genus Pseudopallene Wilson, 1878 (Pycnogonida, Callipallenidae), Zootaxa 3765 (4), pp. 339-359 : 354

Cordylochele longicollis Sars, 1888 .

Figure 4 D–F

Cordylochele longicollis Sars, 1888 .— Sars, 1891: 49 –51. Pl 4. fig. a–g.— Meinert, 1899: 50 — Schimkewitsch, 1930: 298.— Stephensen, 1933a: 25 –26.— Stephensen, 1936b: 39 –40.— Stephensen 1933c: 35 fig. 10: 6–9— Hedgpeth, 1948; 207. Pseudopallene longicollis ( Stock, 1953b) .

Material examined. USNM 10953. 1 Female. Canada; off Newfoundland, 42° 48' 00"N, 050° 55' 30"W. depth 825 fms. Albatross stn 2428. Det. J. W. Hedgpeth.

Remarks. This specimen is accompanied by five labels one of which is typewritten, the others handwritten. One early label identifies the specimen as Palene (sic) malleolata ?; two labels belong to another accession lot which was identified as Cordylochele malleolata by A. E. Verrill, (NSNM 10954 with the same station data but from a depth of 471 fms) and two others are identifications by Hedgpeth, one as Cordylochele malleolata and the other (most recent) as Pseudopallene malleolata .

Unfortunately this reexamination of the USNM registered specimen has added confusion to the status of this specimen. This specimen was one of more than seventeen from four stations and cited by Hedgpeth (1948) as Pseudopallene malleolata . In the same paper he also cited three specimens of C. longicollis . His illustration of C. malleolata ( Hedgpeth, 1948 fig 20a) with widely-spaced legs is somewhat intermediate between Sars’ illustrations of C. malleolata and C. longicollis (Sars, pl. 4, figs.1 and 2). Sars (1891) described the lateral processes of C. malleolata as being separated by distinct though narrow intervals, the oviger claw as comparatively short (“a good deal shorter than oviger segment 10”), the legs on their outer part as densely hairy, the propodus as powerfully developed and somewhat curved and the propodal claw as much shorter than the propodus. All of these characters are inconsistent with the USNM specimen which is most like C. longicollis . In this specimen the lateral processes are widely separated, the oviger claw is long (> greater than 80% of segment 10) and the legs lack conspicuous setae. The propodus is slender, elongate and almost straight ( Fig. 4 F). The length of the terminal claw is about 70% of the propodus length and the ocular tubercle is of expected height for the family (described as very low in C. malleolata ) and has two dorsal papillae. All of these latter characters are consistent with C. longicollis and significantly agree with Sars figures 1V 2a–g. The neck of the cephalon is also much longer than that illustrated by Sars for C. malleolata (fig 1V, 1). I have therefore assigned this specimen to C. longicollis .

Based on this specimen the description of C. longicollis warrants additional comments. The oviger spine formula is 19:23:24:25, the inner margin of the claw is lined with about 33 long needle-like teeth and the distal onequarter to one-third of the claw is smooth, curved and pick-like ( Fig.4 F). Sars also described the oviger claw of C. longicollis as slender and elongate which is consistent with this specimen. The only potential inconsistency between this specimen and Sars’ description C. longicollis is the presence of fine teeth on the oviger claw which he did not mention. He did however describe the oviger claw C. malleolata as finely dentate on the inner edge. If it is found that they are not present in C. longicollis then further revision may be necessary.

To further confuse the issue, Hedgpeth (1948, fig. 20b) illustrated C. longicollis with a much longer neck and a differently-shaped ocular tubercle to that described by Sars. As to whether his material represents a distinct species will only be resolved by reexamination of his specimens.

Distribution. North Atlantic, Boreal-Arctic.

Figures

FIGURE 4. Meridionale ambigua (probably); A, mating pair (male on top). Meridionale harrisi; B, J 46800, anterior view; C, J 53273, right chela. Cordylochele longicollis; D, trunk dorsal view; E, propodus; F, oviger claw. Parapallene hospitalis; (USNM 78569), G, trunk, dorsal view; H, distal oviger segments.