Tanystylum tayronae, Müller & Krapp, 2009

Müller, Hans-Georg & Krapp, Franz, 2009, The pycnogonid fauna (Pycnogonida, Arthropoda) of the Tayrona National Park and adjoining areas on the Caribbean coast of Colombia 2319, Zootaxa 2319 (1), pp. 1-138 : 52-54

Tanystylum tayronae n.sp.

Fig. 25

During the preparation of this study the first author conducted field-work on Martinique, French Antilles, which yielded an additional male. The results of that research have already been published ( Müller 1990d), but this specimen of the new Tanystylum species was held apart in order to be included here as a paratype .

Material: Holotype: 44.— Male ( SMF 1111 ), on Syringodium , 1.5–2 m, 25. II.1986.

Paratype: 1 male ( ZSM), Martinique; Petite Anse de Macabou , from dead corals on a patch reef near the coast; exposed upper reef top and seaward rim of reef, 0–2 m, 6.–15.IV.1990 .

Etymology: Derived from the type locality, the Tayrona National Park eastward of Santa Marta.

Description of male holotype: Trunk outline circular, crurigers with indistinct tubercles in an anterolateral position each of which with short dorso-distal seta. Short seta on cephalon above origin of palps. Trunk segments fused. Ocular process slightly higher than basal breadth, tip acuminated. Eyes relatively large, distinctly pigmented. Abdomen short and robust, directed obliquely upwards; its dorsal surface armed with about 11 short setae. Anterior of abdomen insertion a characteristic distally rounded tubercle without any setae, its height measures 1/3 length of ocular proces. Proboscis relatively slender, abruptly narrowing in its distal sixth and with parallel outline; tip of proboscis large and obtuse.

Cheliphores more than 1/3 of proboscis length, distally somewhat converging, at their base coalesced on their median surface. Cheliphores distally rounded, with 6–7 short setae along almost entire length. Palp 4- articled, 2 nd article elongate; terminal article almost twice length of third article, bearing about 15 setae on lateral, ventral and distal aspect. Oviger 10- articled, slender, articles 4 and 5 elongate and subequal in length; articles 6–9 with few short setae; terminal article tiny and bearing a pair of slender smooth spines longer than the article itself.

Legs relatively slender, moderately setose. Coxae 1 of all legs distally with round and setose tubercles in an antero-lateral and dorsal position; a postero-lateral tubercle feebly developed or absent; coxae 1 and coxae 3 of equal length; coxa 2 1.2 times as long as the other two coxae combined; cement gland on dorso-distal extremity of femur, ending in a short straight tube; tibia 1 and tibia 2 of equal length, slightly shorter than femur; all tibiae on dorsal face with 3 flat round setose tubercles in a row; on tibia 1 antero- and 1 posterolateral additional tubercles, on tibia 2 three more tubercles in same position; tarsus as long as broad, 4 short ventral setae; propodus relatively slender and moderately curved; sole without distinct heel, 3 robust spines in proximal third; sole bearing about 12 short spines and setae distally; main claw moderately curved, 1/2 length of propodus; auxiliary claws shaped like main claw, 1/4 length of propodus.

Measurements: Length 0.65; width (across 2 nd crurigers) 0.66; abdomen 0.19; proboscis 0.39. Leg 3: coxa 1, 0.19; coxa 2, 0.24; coxa 3, 0.20; femur 0.41; tibia 1, 0.52; tibia 2, 0.52; tarsus 0.12; propodus 0.40; main claw 0.18; auxiliary claw 0.10.

Female: unknown.

Remarks: This species is the nearest relative to Tanystylum haswelli Child, 1990 from the Australian Great Barrier Reef. They are in habitus very close, but T. tayronae n.sp. has a longer abdomen, dorsal tubercles on the coxae of legs 1–3 and a less prominent cement gland on the femur than T. haswelli , which allows differentiation between them (see Child 1990: 317, Fig. 2 ). There are also similarities with Tanystylum oedinotum Loman, 1923 from the southern Indo-Pacific, but there are distinct differences from both species mentioned above, e.g. the tubercle at the base of abdomen in T.oedinotum is better developed and setose, the palp is 5-articled (see Clark 1977: 330; Figs. 44–50 ). Arnaud (1972d: 810) figures an aberrant palp of a male from Kerguelen Island as 6-articled.

Distribution: Caribbean coast of Colombia and Martinique, French Antilles.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Achelia gracilis Verrill, 1900. A, male dorsal, B, female dorsal, C, male lateral, D, male cheliphore, E, female oviger, F, male oviger. Scale 200 mm for A–C, 50 mm for D–E, 100 mm for F.

FIGURE 25. Tanystylum tayronae n. sp., male: A dorsal, B lateral, C palp, D oviger, E five terminal articles of oviger, enlarged, F leg 3, G cement gland duct.

FIGURE 44. Nymphon floridanum Hedgpeth, 1948, male: A trunk lateral, B trunk dorsal, C proboscis and cheliphores ventral, D chela, E chela teeth, enlarged, F palp, G leg 3, H propodus and tarsus of leg 3, I terminal and auxiliary claws of leg 3.

FIGURE 45. Nymphon floridanum Hedgpeth, 1948, male: A oviger, B four terminal articles of oviger, foliose spines and end claw.

FIGURE 46. Anoplodactylus bahamensis Child, 1977, male (except E): A trunk dorsal, B trunk lateral, C proboscis ventral, D another proboscis ventral, E postlarva dorsal, F chela, G chela of comparative specimen from USNM, H terminal articles of oviger, I leg 3, J propodus and tarsus, terminal and auxiliary claw, cutting lamella, K cement gland duct.

FIGURE 47. Anoplodactylus batangensis (Helfer, 1938): A male trunk dorsal, B male trunk with oviger lateral, C postlava dorsal, D postlarva ventral, E male proboscis ventral, F male chela, G distal three articles of male oviger, H male leg 3, I propodus and tarsus of male leg 3, J cement gland duct of male leg 3.

FIGURE 48. Anoplodactylus californicus Hall, 1912, all figures male except C: A male trunk dorsal, B male trunk lateral, C female probiscis ventral, D cheliphore, E oviger, F leg 3, G spines and setae on propodal sole, H cement gland duct.

FIGURE 49. Anoplodactylus evelinae Marcus, 1940: A A male trunk dorsal, B male trunk lateral, C postlarva dorsal, D postlarva ventral, E male cheliphore, F male oviger, G male leg 3, H propodus and terminal claw of leg 3, I cement gland pore lateral, J cement gland pore in dorsal view.

FIGURE 50. Anoplodactylus glandulifer Stock, 1954, male: A ovigerous specimen, trunk lateral, B trunk dorsal, C chela, D oviger, E leg 3, F femur with two cement gland pores, G cement gland pores in lateral view, H tarsus and propodus.