Alexandrella mixta Nicholls, 1938

d’Acoz, Cédric d’Udekem & Verheye, Marie L., 2017, Epimeria of the Southern Ocean with notes on their relatives (Crustacea, Amphipoda, Eusiroidea), European Journal of Taxonomy 359, pp. 1-553 : 173

Alexandrella mixta Nicholls, 1938 s. lat.

Fig. 336

Parandaniexis mixtus Nicholls, 1938: 42 , fig. 22.

Pseudandaniexis mixta – Nicholls 1938: corrigendum. — J.L. Barnard 1958: 127. — Bellan-Santini

1972: 229, pl. 36. Alexandrella mixta – Holman & Watling 1983: 39 –41, fig. 5. Alexandrella dentata – Berge & Vader 2005a: 1332 –1335, figs 2, 3. — Rauschert & Arntz 2015: 79,

pl. 72 [ANT-XXI/2, stn 233, 200 m, 13 mm].

Material examined

RV Polarstern cuises

SOUTHERN OCEAN: 1 spec., cruise PS69,ANT-XXIII/8, stn 725-6, Larsen A, 64°54.80ʹ S, 60°37.46ʹ W to 64°54.80ʹ S, 60°38.28ʹ W, 105–207 m, amongst large grey hexactinellid sponges, Agassiz trawl, 22 Jan. 2007, coll. C. d’Udekem d’Acoz and H. Robert ( RBINS, INV. 122305).

Distribution

Adélie Coast, Weddell Sea; 60–1543 m ( De Broyer et al. 2007 as A. dentata , excluding type record).

Biology

One specimen identified as Alexandrella mixta was found by the first author amongst large grey hexactinellid sponges and its colour pattern matched perfectly with that of these sponges (fig. 338). Some kind of symbiosis might be involved.

Remarks

See account on A. dentata for the taxonomic history of A. mixta .

Figures

Fig. 336. Alexandrella mixta Nicholls, 1938, sex undetermined, s. lat. Adult, about 20 mm, western Weddell Sea, Larsen A, ANT-XXIII/8, stn 725-6, RBINS, INV. 122305. A. Lateral habitus (colour in life). B. Same specimen (colour in life) with sponge from the same catch (note the striking colour similarity). Photographs: C. d’Udekem d’Acoz.