Munidopsis thieli Türkay, 1975

Macpherson, Enrique & Segonzac, Michel, 2005, Species of the genus Munidopsis (Crustacea, Decapoda, Galatheidae) from the deep Atlantic Ocean, including cold-seep and hydrothermal vent areas, Zootaxa 1095 (1), pp. 1-60 : 44-46

Munidopsis thieli Türkay, 1975 ( Fig. 12 )

Munidopsis thieli Türkay, 1975: 67 , figs 3, 5, 6.— d’Udekem d’Acoz, 1999: 169.

Material examined. Iberic abyssal plain, NORATLANTE, Stn 38­B14, 37º21.1’N, 18º46.6’W, 5110 m, 18.10.1969: 1 female 40.0 mm. Off Mauritania, SEABED 2, Stn CP 19, 19°15.31’N, 29°49.39’W, 4958 m, 15.11.1980: 1 female 16.6 mm. Iberic abyssal plain, ABYPLAINE, Stn CP 13, 40°00.8' N, 15°05'W, 5270 m, 08.06.1983: 1 male 30.0 mm.— Stn CP 14, 39°59.1'N, 15°00.2'W, 5330 m, 08.06.1983: 1 male 21.7 mm.— Stn CP 15, 39º59.2’N, 15º02.1’W, 5320 m, 09.06.1983: 1 male 21.7 mm .

Diagnosis. Dorsal carapace surface with some short setae, lateral carapace, abdomen and appendages covered with short fine setae. Carapace with scattered tubercles and faint rugae, more numerous and prominent on branchial regions, without epigastric spines or tubercles. Lateral margin with anterolateral spine directed somewhat anterolaterad, as long as second lateral spine, and followed by posteriorly diminishing spines on anterior branchial region and more laterally expanded posterior branchial region anteriorly bearing distally pointed process followed by smaller process. Rostrum broadly triangular, about 1/ 3 length of remaining carapace. Frontal margin oblique, antennal spine well developed, slightly smaller than anterolateral spine. Third sternite narrow, fourth sternite subtriangular. Abdomen spineless; posterior margin of sixth somite nearly transverse, postero­ lateral lobes feebly bordered from posteromedian margin. Telson divided into 8 plates, midlateral plates without coarse setae in males. Ocular peduncles hardly movable, basally broad, with strong eye­spine produced distomesially; cornea small and lateral. Third maxilliped merus relatively long, flexor margin with 4 or 5 spines of irregular size, extensor margin bearing distinct distal spine. Chelipeds longer than carapace, merus and carpus with some spines on mesial and distal margins, palm with scattered tubercles and few small mesialspines; fixed finger with denticulate carina on distolateral margin. Walking legs relatively short, granulate; each merus with row of dorsal spines, row of ventral spines on first leg; each propodus with row of dorsal marginal spines, 2 lateral crests with row of tubercles or spines; each dactylus slightly shorter than propodus, terminal claw curving, flexor margin nearly straight; flexor margin with 10–12 teeth (each with accompanying seta­like spine) diminishing toward base of article, ultimate tooth slightly remote from end of dactylus and more remote from tip of dactylus than from penultimate process. First walking legs slightly overreaching end of chelipeds. Epipod present on chelipeds, absent from walking legs.

Distribution and habitat. Munido psis thieli was described from specimens collected off northwestern Spain (approximately 42º27’N) between 5215 and 5330 m ( Türkay 1975). The present material agrees quite well with the original description. The present record extends the geographical range of the species further south (off Mauritania). The species is one of the deepest­living representatives of the genus ( Baba 2005). The specimens were collected in areas of low faunal diversity, among actiniarians, bivalves, some echinoderms and numerous tunicates. On the Iberic abyssal plain, the density of M. thieli is very low (1 individual/km 2, Monniot & Segonzac 1985).

Figures

FIGURE 12. Munidopsis thieli Türkay, 1975, male (30.0 mm), Iberic abyssal plain, ABYPLAINE, Stn CP13. A, carapace, dorsal. B, anterior part of sternal plastron. C, posterior part of sixth abdominal segment and telson. D, right antennule, antenna and ocular peduncle, ventral. E, endopod of right third maxilliped, setae omitted, lateral. F, right cheliped, lateral. H, left second pereiopod, lateral. Scale: A–C, F–G = 4 mm, D–E = 2 mm.