Achelia sawayai Marcus

Achelia saaeayi Marcus 1940: 81-86, Figs 10 a-f, 17

Material. Adult ♂ (ZSM-A- 20071594); Casa Grisales, Bahia del Rodadero, Santa Marta; on stone with algae. 0.5-1.0 m. 11.10.2004 ; Juvenile (ZSM-A- 20071595); Playa Brava, Bahia de Taganga, Santa Marta; under stone, 0-0.5 m, 09.12.2004 ; Juvenile (ZSM-A-20060998); Playa Brava, Bahia de Taganga, Santa Marta; under stone, 0-0.5 m, 09.12.2004 ; Adult ♂ (ZSM-A-20060999); Bahia del Rodadero, Santa Marta; under stone. 0.5-1.0 m. 14.12.2004 ; Adult ♀ with eggs in the legs (ZSM-A- 20071596); Bahia del Rodadero, Santa Marta; under stone, 0.5-1.0 m, 14.12.2004 ; Adult ♂ carrying eggs on ovigera (ZSM-A- 20071597); Bahia del Rodadero, Santa Marta; under stone. 0.5-1.0 m. 18.12.2004 .

Description (Figs 1-4)

Light microscopical descriptions of this species are given by Müller (1990), Müller & Krapp (in press), Hedgpeth (1948), Stock (1955), and Child (1992). Living animals are sand-coloured. No special pigmentation of the gut. Body circular (Figs 1D, 2C, 3A,B), segmentation lines not visible (Figs 1D, 2C, 3 C-E), dorsodistal spination absent. Ocular tubercle relatively flat, deprived of apical protrusion; four strongly pigmented eyes and two lateral sense organs present (Figs 1D, 4A,E).

Short abdomen orientated upwards (Figs 1D, 2C, 4A), inserted directly between walking legs 4 and having distally two laterodorsal short spines (Fig. 4A). Proboscis oval, with pointed tip (Fig. 4D).

Chelifores composed of a long article and chelae that are well developed in juveniles (Figs 1B,G) but deformed in adults (Figs 2C, 4A,B).

Palps with 8 articles in adults (Figs 2F, 4F) and 6 in juveniles (Fig. 1F). Ovigera with 10 articles in both sexes, articles 8-10 equipped with serrated spines (Fig. 4 G-I). Male ovigera with spines on all articles. In specimen examined eggs were carried between 5th and 2nd ovigera article (Fig. 4G).

Coxa 1 of all legs with 3 distal spines inserted on protrusions. In juveniles (Fig. 1E) these are less pronounced than in adults (Figs 3D, 4C). Coxa 2 equipped with 2 spines, 2× length of coxa 1; coxa 3 with bristles ventrodistally, same length as coxa 1. Length of femur 3× coxa 1. Adult male with strong protrusion (cement gland) at the dorsodistal edge of the article. Femur of ovigerous female swollen and filled with eggs (Fig. 2B). Tibia 1 0.2× as long as tibia 2. Both tibiae rather thin. Tarsus as long as wide, with several spines, ventrally with setae and distally with a single spine (Fig. 4K). Propodus slightly curved (Figs 1H, 2H, 3G, 4K), heel absent. Sole consists of a row of 6-9 thin short spines (Figs 3G, 4K), dorsomedially with 3-5 long thin spines (Figs 3G, 4K). Distal tip of propodus with curved main claw and two accessory claws at its dorsal side. Length of accessory claws 0.75× main claw (Figs 2H, 3G, 4K).

Remarks. Achelia saaeayai is a small species.Its colour can be explained as an adaptation to the habitat, i.e. infralittoral stones with algae. Due to variability of the spination and the presence of a very similar species, Achelia gracilis Verrill, 1900, the determination of A. saaeayai is not trivial. However, the number of spines on coxae 1 of legs 1 and 2 (3 in A. saaeayai and 4 in A. gracilis) turned out to be a good distinctive feature.

This species is distributed along the Atlantic coast from Georgia (USA) to Brazil and Bahamas Is. In addition, in the Atlantic and Indian Ocean, samples have been reported from West Africa, Cape Verde Is. and Madagascar (Child 1979). In the Pacific, the species is known from Fiji (Müller 1990a), and French Polynesia (Müller 1989, 1990b).