Paraphronima crassipes Claus, 1879

Zeidler, Wolfgang, 2003, A review of the hyperiidean amphipod superfamily Vibilioidea Bowman and Gruner, 1973 (Crustacea: Amphipoda: Hyperiidea), Zootaxa 280 (1), pp. 1-104 : 91-94

Paraphronima crassipes Claus ( Figs 37 & 38 )

Hyperia pedestris Guérin­Méneville, 1836 : pl. 25, fig. 5.

Paraphronima crassipes Claus, 1879: 7 (65)–8(66), pl. 1, figs 6–9; pl. 2, fig. 10.

Paraphronima clypeata Bovallius, 1885: 11 , fig. 2.

Paraphronima pectinata Bovallius, 1887a: 13–14 .

Paraphronima cuivis Stebbing, 1888: 1337–1342 , pl. 157.

Type material

Type material of P. crassipes could not be found at the ZMB or ZMH and is considered lost. However, the description and figures provided by Claus (1879) are sufficient to characterise this species. The type locality is the “Mediterranean”. No specific locality is given by Claus (1879).

Type material of synonyms

The holotype of Hyperia pedestris is in the ANSP (CA 2698, Guérin­Méneville Coll. No. 432) (see remarks).

Four syntypes of P. clypeata are in the ZMUC (CRU 449–452). Although this material is only in fair condition it is clearly conspecific with P. crassipes .

Two syntypes of P. pectinata are in the ZMUC (CRU 447 & 448). Both specimens are in good condition and readily identified as P. crassipes . Bovallius (1889) considers it a synonym of P. clypeata .

Syntype material of P. cuivis is in the BMNH (89.5.15.200). These specimens represent both P. crassipes and P. gracilis . However, the material described and illustrated by Stebbing (1888) represent P. crassipes .

Material examined (> 250 specimens)

Types. Holotype of Hyperia pedestris from the coast off Chile: dried specimen in vial — almost destroyed. Four syntypes of P. clypeata from the North Atlantic; one male (CRU 449, 14 mm) captured 39º10’N, 42º10’W, Andrea, 1863 ; one female (CRU 450, 11.2 mm) captured 30º34’N, 30º50’W, Andrea, 1862 ; one female (CRU 451, 14 mm) captured 36º06’N, 39º 28’W, “Warming”, 1866; one female (CRU 452, 10.4 mm) captured 26ºN, 26ºW, “Iversen”, 1871: all in spirit. Two syntypes of P. pectinata from the North Atlantic; one female (CRU 451, 14 mm) captured 36º06’N, 39º28’W, “Warming”, 1866; one female (CRU 452, 10.4 mm) captured 26ºN, 26ºW, “Iversen”, 1871: in spirit, the latter one with mouthparts and A2 missing. Several syntypes of P. cuivis from between Japan and Honolulu, 35ºN, surface, Challenger, July, 1875: several specimens in spirit and 8 microscope slides.

Other material examined. Tasman Sea: 16 lots ( SAMA), 19 specimens. North Atlantic : 7 lots ( BMNH) , 7 lots ( CMN), 22 lots ( USNM), 3 lots ( ZMB), several lots ( ZMUC), numerous specimens. South Atlantic: 11 lots ( BMNH), 24 specimens. North Pacific : 2 lots ( CMN) , several lots ( LACM), 26 lots ( USNM), numerous specimens. South Pacific: 1 lot ( ZMB), 1 specimen. Indian: 1 lot ( BMNH), 4 specimens. Mediterranean : 1 lot ( BMNH), 2 specimens. Arabian Sea : 3 lots ( BMNH), 3 specimens. Central Indo­Pacific : 3 lots ( USNM), 3 specimens .

Diagnosis

Body length up to 31 mm, but usually 20–24 mm. Head slightly longer than deep. Pereonites 1–4 about equal in width. Pereopods 5–7; anterior margin of ischium to propodus with few or no robust setae. Pereopod 7 only slightly shorter than P6. Pleonite 1; ventral margin of epimeral plate evenly rounded, almost perpendicular to body axis anteriorly.

Remarks

The similarity of this species to the previous one has already been discussed under that species.

The recent discovery of the type of Hyperia pedestris Guérin­Méneville, 1836 , and that it is most likely P. crassipes ( Zeidler 1997) , posed the problem of whether or not Guérin­Méneville’s specific name should be used for the species now known as P. crassipes . However, its replacement would create nomenclatural instability ( Zeidler 1995), because P. crassipes , as a scientific name, is well established in the scientific literature, and the type of H. pedestris is in very poor condition making specific identity uncertain, and it is a name that has not been used since Bovallius (1889). The proposal to conserve the specific name ( Zeidler 1995) was subsequently upheld by the ICZN (1997).

Paraphronima crassipes has been recorded as an associate of the siphonophores Dyphies and Galeolaria ( Lo Bianco 1909) and Rosacea cymbiformis ( Harbison et al. 1977, Laval 1980).

Distribution

This species is widely distributed in tropical and temperate regions including the Mediterranean Sea. In the southern Hemisphere it rarely penetrates up to the Antarctic Convergence ( Vinogradov et al. 1982).

Figures

FIGURE 37. A, Paraphronima gracilis, Tasman Sea, AM P39503, male, 3.8 mm; B, P. crassipes, San Pedro Basin, California, SAMA C5917, female, 14.0 mm. A1 & 2 from P. crassipes, Tasman Sea, SAMA C4449 (female, 11.8 mm), C4445 (male, 10.6 mm). Scale bars = 2.0 mm (B), 0.5 mm (A), 0.2 mm (A1 & 2).

FIGURE 38. Paraphronima crassipes, Tasman Sea, SAMA C4445. Male, 10.6 mm. Scale bars = 0.2 mm (Mxp), 0.1 mm (remainder).