Pseudopallene reflexa (Stock, 1968)

Arango, Claudia P. & Brenneis, Georg, 2013, New species of Australian Pseudopallene (Pycnogonida: Callipallenidae) based on live colouration, morphology and DNA, Zootaxa 3616 (5), pp. 401-436 : 417

Pseudopallene reflexa (Stock, 1968)

Figs. 3 E, 8A–D

Material examined: (S922218) 1 female (PSE5a), 2 males (PSE5, 5b), 1 sub-adult (PSE11), Nov-2009, Eaglehawk Neck, Tasmania , on Orthoscuticella spp., Boulder Point, 5–10 m depth.

Remarks: This species is readily distinguished by the undivided pre-ocular surface ( Fig. 8 A), the irregular surface of the longer leg articles ( Fig. 8 B) and the prominent propodal heel with paired heel spines arranged in a Vshape ( Fig. 8 D). The Tasmanian material is in good agreement with the description of specimens from South Australia and Victoria regarding the shape of abdomen and proboscis, the oviger spine formula: 14:9:9:8, the terminal oviger claw ( Fig.8 C), and the orange colouration (Staples 2005). Judging from some of the drawings in Stevenson (2003) (especially his fig. 16, p. 39), he might have already investigated P. re fl ex a specimens from Eaglehawk Neck, Tasmania , but erroneously assigned them to P. pachycheira . The irregular surface on the legs of P. re f l e x a might be confuseded with the more regular leg constrictions in P. pachycheira when small individuals (e.g. sub-adults) are only casually examined by the naked eye.

Figures

FIGURE 3. Dorsal view of eight morphotypes of Pseudopallene collected at Eaglehawk Neck, Tasmania. A, P. flava sp. nov.; B, P. constricta sp. nov.; C, P. ‘ variabilis’ - complex; D, P. tasmania sp. nov.; E, P. reflexa; F, P. gracilis sp. nov.; G, P. brevicephala; H, P. pachycheira. Scale bars = 1 mm.

FIGURE 8. Pseudopallene reflexa (Stock, 1968). Male (S 92218). A, frontal-lateral view; B, third leg; C, distal articles of oviger with compound spines and terminal claw showing denticulated margin; D, propodus and terminal claw of third walking leg. Propodus with diagnostic prominent heel and V-shaped spine configuration in lateral view. Scale bars = 1 mm.