Nymphon polyglia, Bamber, Roger N., 2004

Bamber, Roger N., 2004, with description of three new species, Zootaxa 458, pp. 1-12 : 2-4

Nymphon polyglia sp. nov. ( Fig. 1 )

Material: 1 male, holotype (MNHN­Py 1031); 1 male, 2 females, paratypes (MNHN­Py 1032), CP58, East coast of Taiwan, N/ O 'Fishery Researcher 1' TAIWAN 2000, 24º35.1'N 122º05.8'E, 221 m; 04/08/2000, coll. Bouchet, Richer­IRD & Chan. 1 male, 2 gravid females, paratypes (NHM.2004.32–34), CP212, East Coast of Taiwan, N/ O 'Fishery Researcher 1' TAIWAN 2003, 24º34.6'N 122º05.84'E to 24º32.51'N 122º05.89'E, 223 to 260 m; 26/08/2003, coll. T­Y Chan.

Description of male: trunk ( Fig. 1 A) of normal nymphonid appearance, glabrous, with extended neck; cephalon about half trunk length; lateral processes with few small dorsodistal setae; simple dome­shaped ocular tubercle bearing four eyes; abdomen as long as last lateral processes, naked. Proboscis shorter than cephalon, cylindrical, distally truncate, with fine setae.

Chelifore finely setose, longer than proboscis; chela shorter than chelifore, palm as long as fingers, densely setose at base of fixed finger, with longer spines at base of moveable finger; fixed finger with 12 teeth, moveable finger with 17 teeth ( Fig. 1 B).

Palp ( Fig. 1 C) setose as figured, of five articles, second article longest, fifth article slender, 1.6 times length of fourth, these two together just longer than third article.

Oviger ( Fig. 1 D) of ten articles, proximal three subequal, fourth article slightly curved, widening distally, proximally setose, 0.75 times length of fifth article; fifth article longest, slightly curved, widening distally, ventrally setose; sixth article straight, half length of fifth, ventrally setose; seventh to tenth articles respectively with 7, 5, 4 and 5 compound spines with few asymmetric lateral teeth; terminal claw slender with 8 fine teeth.

Third leg ( Fig. 1 E, F) first coxa short; second coxa five times as long as wide with dorsodistal swellings, without cement gland pores; third coxa one third length of second; femur slender, twice length of coxa 2, sparsely spinose, with four or five ventral cement gland pores largely in proximal half; first tibia half as long again as femur, proximally with four ventral cement gland pores; second tibia slender, longest, more than twice length of femur, without cement gland pores; tarsus elongate, simply spinose; propodus 1.1 times as long as tarsus, without heel, some spines as long as propodal diameter; main claw slender, curved, nearly half length of propodus; auxiliary claws present, 0.4 times length of main claw.

Measurements of male (mm): trunk length (anterior of cephalon to tip of 4th lateral process) 4.5; length of cephalon 2.19; width across 2nd lateral processes 1.88; proboscis length 1.41; chelifore length 1.5; chela length 1.31; palp article 2 (P2) 0.89, P3 0.69, P4 0.29, P5 0.47; third leg, first coxa 0.5, second coxa 1.78, third coxa 0.67, femur 4, first tibia 5.39, second tibia 8.25, tarsus 1.23, propodus 1.37, main claw 0.63, auxiliary claw 0.23; oviger article 4 ( O 4) 1.49, O 5 2, O 6 1.03.

Etymology: from the Greek, polys —many, and glia —glue (female, noun in apposition), with reference to the multiple cement gland openings on both femur and first tibia.

Remarks: Some species of Nymphon are known only from females; none of these species described from the region of the East and South China Seas, and out to the Marianas, resemble N. polyglia sp. nov. There are three recorded species of Nymphon with cement gland pores in the first tibia as well as the femur in males. N. caementarium Stock, 1974 , from off northwest Africa, which has cement gland openings on coxa 2, is uniunguiculate. N. quadriclavus Nakamura & Child, 1986 , from Sagami Bay, Japan, has three cement gland openings on the femur and one on tibia 1. N. forceps Nakamura & Child, 1991 , also from Sagami Bay, has additional cement gland openings on tibia 2. In all three species the tarsus is much shorter than the propodus, whereas in N. polyglia these two articles are subequal in length. Further, N. polyglia has fewer chela teeth and fewer teeth on the compound spines of the oviger strigilis. With its elongate, slender cephalon neck, relatively short auxiliary claws, proportionately elongate tibia 2 and tarsus, and sparse setae on the trunk, this species is distinct in gross appearance from other Nymphon species of this region.

The two samples comprising the type collection are from almost the identical place.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Nymphon polyglia sp. nov., male holotype, A, body dorsolateral; B, chela detail (paratype); C, right palp; D, distal eight articles of right oviger, with detail of compound spine; E, third right leg, with cement gland pores arrowed; F, distal articles of third right leg. Scale line = 2.25 mm for A, 0.34 mm for B, 1 mm for C, D and F, 2 mm for E.