Poecilasma aurantia Darwin, 1852

Poecilasma aurantia Darwin, 1852: 105, pl. 2, fig. 2. — Young 1998a: 5, fig. 4 (with synonymy); Southward 1998: 17, fig. 2.

MATERIALEXAMINED. — SEAMOUNT 2, stn DW 231, 32°01.49’N, 27°54.51’W, 745 m to 32°01.75’N, 27°54.70’W, 750 m, 12 specimens, tl (cl) 3.7 (2.9) to 13.8 (11.3) mm (MNHN Ci 2830, MNRJ 13889). — Stn CP 232, 32°01.18’N, 27°54.09’W, 750 m to 32°02.60’N, 27°55.91’W, 750 m, 11 specimens, tl (cl) 1.9 (1.4) to 9.2 (7.4) mm (MNHN Ci 2831, MNRJ 13890). — Stn DW 277, 33°59.92’N, 28°20.56’W, 1000 m to 33°59.64’N, 28°20.81’W, 945 m, 1 specimen, tl (cl) 11.4 (9.3) mm (MNHN Ci 2832).

DIVA II, stn PL 12, 37°50.54’N, 31°31.30’W, Mid- Atlantic Ridge, Menez Gwen, 850 m, 3 specimens, tl (cl) 7.9 (6.3) to 14.2 (11.3) mm (MNHN Ci 2833).

MARVEL, stn PL 1201, 37°50.54’N, 31°31.22’W, Menez Gwen, 850 m, 2 specimens, tl (cl) 7.0 (5.7) to 10.9 (7.6) mm (MNHN Ci 2834).

REMARKS

Poecilasma aurantia was first described from Madeira, and recorded elsewhere from the eastern Atlantic. Young (1998a: 5, b: 33) considered this species distinct from P. kaempferi which is known to occur in the western Pacific region. The validity of the species of Poecilasma has yet to be reevaluated.