Meridionale tasmania ( Arango and Brenneis, 2013 )

Staples, David A., 2014, A revision of the callipallenid genus Pseudopallene Wilson, 1878 (Pycnogonida, Callipallenidae), Zootaxa 3765 (4), pp. 339-359 : 353-354

Meridionale tasmania ( Arango and Brenneis, 2013)

Pseudopallene tasmania Arango and Brenneis, 2013

Material examined. Holotype 1 female, TMAG J4517; two female paratypes QM S92216 .

Remarks. In the light of the unusual oviger claw illustrated by Arango & Brenneis (2013 fig 7c, d) and the probability that the holotype had been based on an aberrant specimen, the type specimens are reexamined. The holotype is incomplete due to the dissected oviger not being lodged with the specimen and the claw on the remaining oviger is missing. The oviger claw in the paratypes is narrow and the distal margins are denticulate. In this regard the claw is consistent with its congeners. The inner margin of the terminal claw on the legs is almost straight and provides an additional (but not unique) diagnostic indicator of the species, only the very distal part is curved inwards; the outer surface is inflated and evenly curved throughout most of its length. The proboscis is not bullet-shaped as described. The proximal and distal parts are inflated and separated by slight constriction at about mid-length; the distal part is widest before tapering sharply to the mouth ( Arango & Brenneis, 2013, fig 7B). The abdomen is short, inflated and slightly inclined. It does not reach the end of the fourth lateral processes.

Distribution. Southern Tasmania .

Genus Cordylochele Sars, 1888

Cordylochele Sars, 1888 .

Pseudopallene Stock, 1953b: 295

Diagnosis. Trunk smooth, linear, without spiniform projections, neck long, well defined. Lateral processes clearly longer than basal width, separated by less than their own diameter. Abdomen short, horizontal. Ocular tubercle, rounded, eyes well-developed. Proboscis horizontal, distally rounded, the area surrounding the mouth opening finely ciliated. Palps absent. Chelifores robust, chela palm globose, fingers very short, in line with the palm, the immoveable finger with lamelliform projection on the inner edge. Oviger spines on segments 7–10 compound, terminal claw well-developed, pointed with fine teeth on one margin. Legs elongated, without spiniform projections, terminal claw long, auxiliary claws absent. Cement glands and genital pores not recorded.

Remarks. Two species are assigned to this genus; C. malleolata Sars, 1879 ; C. longicollis Sars, 1891 (non Hedgpeth 1948: 208). Sars (1891a) designated Pallene malleolata as the type species of the genus Cordylochele to which he added C. brevicollis ( Sars, 1891) and C. longicollis . Sars was convinced that C. malleolata , C. brevicollis and C. longicollis formed a natural group on account of their external habitus and certain anatomical characters. Sars described the area surrounding the mouth opening in C. malleolata and C. longicollis as finely ciliated and the proboscis structure of C. brevicollis as being precisely like those species. It was surprising therefore to discover that a dense tuft of setae seemingly emanates from the mouth opening of the specimen on loan from the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History (fig. 1). It is puzzling why Sars completely ignored palp buds in his diagnosis of Cordylochele particularly when he noted the presence of palp buds in C. brevicollis . Sars made a point of noting their absence in C. malleolata but made no mention of them in his description of C. longicollis . Stock (1953b) formed a different view to Sars and synonymised Pseudopallene and Cordylochele based on his belief that the anatomical characters; namely the slender, body spination and differences in chela shape are not characters of generic significance. In support of his argument Stock cited the two forms of chelae in Pallenopsis ( Wilson, 1881) . However in a subsequent reversal of opinion he established the subgenera Pallenopsis and Bathypallenopsis to accommodate the two forms ( Stock, 1974). Quite correctly these were later raised to full generic rank by Bamber (2007).

In this analysis, reliance is placed on general habitus, chela shape and the absence of palp buds to distinguish Cordylochele from Pseudopallene . Pseudopallene malleolata and P. longicollis are reassigned to the resurrected genus Cordylochele . Pseudopallene brevicollis remains in the genus Pseudopallene primarily owing to the presence of a compact body and palp buds.

Distribution. Northern latitudes, North Atlantic; Boreal-Arctic.