Ammothella spinifera Cole

Ammothella spinifera Cole, 1904: 275-277, pl. 12. fig. 8, pl. 20, figs 7-9, pl. 21, figs 1-6.

Material. Adult ♀ with eggs in legs (ZSM-A-20060987), Casa Grisales, Bahia del Rodadero, Santa Marta; under stone; 0-0.5 m; 12.10.2004 ; Juvenile (ZSM-A- 20071600), Casa Grisales, Bahia del Rodadero, Santa Marta; under stone; 0-0.5 m; 12.10.2004 ; Adult ♀ with eggs in legs (ZSM-A- 20071601), Casa Grisales, Bahia del Rodadero, Santa Marta; under stone; 0-0.5 m; 18.11.2004 ; Adult ♂ (ZSM-A-20060988), Casa Grisales, Bahia del Rodadero, Santa Marta; under stone; 0-0.5 m; 18.11.2004 ; Adult ♀ with eggs in legs (ZSM-A-20060991), Inca-Inca, Bahia del Rodadero, Santa Marta; under stone; 0-0.5 m; 26.11. 2004 ; Adult ♀ (ZSM-A-20060982), Bahia del Rodadero, Santa Marta; under stone; 0-0.5 m; 26.11.2004 ; Juvenile (ZSM-A-20060990), Inca-Inca, Bahia del Rodadero, Santa Marta; under stone; 0- 0.5 m; 04.12.2004 ; Adult ♂ carrying eggs (ZSM-A- 20071602), Inca-Inca, Bahia del Rodadero, Santa Marta; under stone; 0-0.5 m; 05.12. 2004 .

Description (Figs 8-11)

Living animals sand-coloured to light brown. Body slender, with very long walking legs (Fig. 8A). Segmentation lines between all body segments (Figs 9B, 11C). On the dorsal side of the 2nd body segment, in some specimens also on the 1st, several long setae are inserted (Figs 8G,H). In juveniles, these have the shape of short protrusions (Fig. 8G). Each body segment with 2 lateral spines of medium length (Figs 8C, 9B,D, 11C).

Eye tubercle 2× as long as wide, with one apical sense organ on its pointed tip and two lateral sense organs (Figs 9C, 10C, 11L). Eye pigmentation in some specimens rather weak.

Abdomen slightly curved and 2× as long as eye tubercle (Figs 10D, 11J), slightly flattened on the dorsal side; dorsally and laterally setae and spines of varying size, shape and number are inserted (Fig. 11J). Segmentation line between segment 4 and abdomen (Fig. 11J).

Chelifores composed of 3 articles. 1 st article slightly shorter than 2 nd. Juveniles with developed, but not very strong chelae (Fig. 8E). Chelae rudimentary in adults (Fig. 9C).

Palps composed of 9 articles (Figs 8E, 9C, 11B); 2nd and 4th articles the longest, followed by articles 5, 6 and 9. Articles 1, 7 and 8 the shortest, equal in length. Ovigera with 10 articles (Figs 9G, 11 F-H); on the 3 distalmost of these several serrated spines are inserted (Figs 9G,H, 11G). 7 th and 8 th article each with 2 large, proximal spines (Fig. 11F). Coxa 1 with 2-4 long dorsal setae (Figs 8C, 9D, 11D) having a rounded tip with cuticular gland pore (Fig. 11E). 2 nd coxa 2× as long as 1 st coxa, and in females distally wider than in males. Coxa 3 of same length as coxa 1 (Figs 8I, 10A). Femur 2× as long as wide, distally armed with small spines (Fig. 10A). Male femur with dorsal cement gland protuberance at 0.2× to 0.21× the length of the femur. Spination in females less pronounced than in males. Adult ovigerous females may have 50- 100 eggs in femora (Fig. 9F). Tibiae of approx. same length, of a slender shape and equipped with several dorsal and lateral spines. Tibia 1 with 2 proximal long setae and 2 long spines. Both tibiae distally have two long and slender spines inserted at the tip of protuberances (Figs 8I, 10A). Tarsus as long as wide, with strong spine and several thin spines ventrally (Figs 8J, 10B, 11H). Dorsally with a single thin spine on protuberance. Propodus curved, with 3 strong, pointed basal spines ventrally in adults (Figs 10B, 11H), and 2 in juveniles, respectively (Fig. 8J). Sole composed of several small spines plus 1 pair of distal spines in adults. In addition there are 3 to 5 long, thin spines dorsomedially (Figs 10B, 11H), and several thin spines distal to the accessory claws. Main claw 0.5× as long as the propodus, only slightly curved, as accessory claws. Accessory claws 0.75× as long as main claw (Figs 10B, 11H).

Remarks. A rather reliable feature to determine A. spinifera seems to be the presence of a pair of dorsal spines near the posterior margin of the second trunk segment. Müller (1992) reported on specimens from Barbados, lacking any spines at the posterior margin of the second trunk segment. Remarkably in A. spinifera we observed a pair of spines distally on the sole, as in A. exornata . Child (1979) characterizes A. spinifera as highly variable species recorded for the Pacific coast from California to Panama, the Colombian coast, Barbados and Martinique (see also Müller 1990).