Anoplodactylus batangensis (Helfer, 1938)

Lucena, Rudá Amorim, Araújo, Joafrâncio Pereira De & Christoffersen, Martin Lindsey, 2015, A new species of Anoplodactylus (Pycnogonida: Phoxichilidiidae) from Brazil, with a case of gynandromorphism in Anoplodactylus eroticus Stock, 1968, Zootaxa 4000 (4), pp. 428-444 : 430-432

Anoplodactylus batangensis (Helfer, 1938)

( Figs 1–5 )

Pycnosoma batangense Helfer, 1938: 174 .

Anoplodactylus intermedius Hilton, 1942: 44 . Anoplodactylus stylirostris Hedgpeth, 1948: 232 . Anoplodactylus tenuirostris Lebour, 1948: 929 .

Examined material: Paraíba: ( UFPB.PYC–008), 5♂, 3♀, Barra de Mamanguape, 11 Aug 2010, coll. PBP; ( UFPB.PYC–028), 1♂, 2♀, Baía da Traição, 0 9 Aug 2010, coll. PBP; ( UFPB.PYC–034), 1♂, 1 juv., Tambaba, 30 Aug 2011, coll. PBP; ( UFPB.PYC–043), 1♂, Jacumã, 29 Jan 2010, coll. PBP; ( UFPB.PYC–053), 1♂, Pitimbu, 16 Sep 2005, coll. C.H. Targino. Pernambuco: ( UFPB.PYC–097), 1♀, Praia dos Carneiros, 22 Jun 2013, coll. PBP; ( UFPB.PYC–119), 4♀, Recife de Itamaracá, 15 Dec 2012, coll. PBP.

Description of male (UFPB.PYC–008): Trunk without segmentation between 3rd and 4th segments. Proboscis styliform, distal region upturned. Lateral processes separated by half of their diameter; with dorsal median tubercle, and one seta on each side of the tubercle. Ocular tubercle shorter than abdomen, basis larger than top; top trilobed; eyes well marked. Abdomen with four subapical setae (figs 1 and 2).

Cheliphores slender, reaching tip of proboscis. Scape single-jointed, with four setae, one of them large, on the median distal margin; other setae lateral to scape, two being ventral and one dorsal. Chelae with short, curved, and smooth fingers; movable finger with two setae on outer margin (fig 3). Oviger 6-articled (fig 4). 1st article as large as long, without seta. 2nd article half size of 3rd, but two times larger than 3rd. 3rd article longest, with a constriction near the basis. 4th as long as 5th and 6th together. 5th and 6th with several recurved setae. 5th with two long setae near distal margin. 6th article shortest and cone-shaped.

Robust legs (fig 5). Coxa 1 of same length as coxa 3, but with four small tubercles with apical setae. Coxa 2 of same length as coxae 1 and 3 together; with a short tubercle in dorso-median region; short spur on legs 3 and 4. Femur is the longest and most robust article; it has a tubercle with an apical seta in terminal region. Cement gland duct in dorso-median position on femur, formed by a tube almost three times as long as its diameter, distally narrow and with transversal rings (detail of fig 5). Tibia 1 to 1,5 times longer than tibia 2; this is provided with a long seta on the distal margin, and three small tubercles, each one with an apical seta. Tibia 2 shorter than propodus, with two small tubercles with apical seta. Tarsus triangle-like, with a seta on dorsal surface, and two ventrally. Propodus with a strong heel, forming an obtuse angle with sole, distally with a robust spine turned upwards, and four smaller spines turned towards the sole; sole with five smaller spines and few setae (detail of fig 5). Main claw curved, 2/3 of the propodus length, without auxiliaries.

Measurements (Male—mm): length of trunk, 0.72; width of trunk (measured over first lateral process), 0.53; length of abdomen: 0.17; length of proboscis: 0.38; length of scape of cheliphore: 0.18; length of chela: 0.14; length of articles of 3rd leg—coxa 1, 0.11; coxa 2, 0.23; coxa 3, 0.15; femur, 0.39; tibia 1, 0.33; tibia 2, 0.23; tarsus, 0.1; propodus, 0.31; main claw, 0.21.

Depth: 0– 40m.

Distribution: Pantropical. Brazil (Bahia, Pernambuco, Paraíba); Venezuela to USA (Florida); Australia; Tonga; New Caledonia; Sulu Sea; Philippines; Panama (Pacific).

Comments: The species has a unique proboscis in the genus ( Stock, 1994; Arango, 2003). It is elongate and curved upwards, without ornamentation in the female ( Child, 1996; Bamber, 2000).

According to Müller & Krapp (2009) this species is close to Anoplodactylus marshallensis Child, 1982 and Anoplodactylus squalidus Clark, 1973 , differing from both by the less robust proboscis, from the first species by the presence of a cutting lamella in the distal region of the sole of the propodus, and from the second species by the shorter tube of the cement gland, which has transversal rings ( Müller & Krapp, 2009).

This is the first record of the species for Brazil. There is material in the Smithsonian Museum (USNM 125453) from Pernambuco identified as A. batangensis by Allan Child in 1968, but we did not have access to this material. Individuals of A. batangensis are found in coral reefs and are probably not restricted to the States of Paraíba and Pernambuco.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 5. Anoplodactylus batangensis (UFPB. PYC – 008). Male. Habitus: 1, dorsal; 2, lateral; 3, chela; 4, oviger; 5, 3 rd leg. Scale bar: Fig. 1, 0.1 mm; Fig. 2, 0.25 mm; Fig. 3, 0.025 mm; Fig. 4, 0.05 mm; Fig. 5, 0.1 mm, detail of propodus, 0.05 mm, detail of cement gland, 0.025 mm.