Chorocaris paulexa

Martin, Joel W. & Haney, Todd A., 2005, Decapod crustaceans from hydrothermal vents and cold seeps: a review through 2005, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 145 (4), pp. 445-522 : 464-465

CHOROCARIS PAULEXA MARTIN & SHANK, 2005

Type locality: South Pacific Ocean , southern EPR, Rapa Nui Homer Vent Site; 17°37.220′S, 113°15.123′W ( Martin & Shank, 2005) .

Known range: limited to type locality and other nearby vents in the Rapa Nui (Easter Microplate) area .

Material: type locality; Alvin dive 3296; 2596 m; 27 October 1998; LACM CR 1998 –151.1 (holotype, ovigerous female), LACM CR 1998 –151.2 (paratype, non-ovigerous female, slightly abnormal) ( Martin & Shank, 2005). Seven other specimens, not designated as paratypes, from nearby vents are also housed at the LACM as LACM CR 1998 –152.1 (2 females, 1 of which is ovigerous, Alvin dive 3283), LACM CR 1998 –153.1 (1 male, 1 female, Alvin dive 3292) and LACM CR 1998 –154.1 (3 small damaged specimens, Alvin dive 3294).

Remarks: This recent find extends the range of the genus Chorocaris virtually across the entire Pacific Basin, from the Mariana Back-Arc Basin where C. vandoverae is found ( Martin & Shank, 2005). This species is almost certainly what Segonzac et al. (1997) described from the 17– 19°S and Easter Microplate region as ‘alvinocaridid shrimp Chorocaris -like... rarely observed on previously described 17– 19°S sites... present on the Pito seamount’ (see also Naar et al., 2004). The species occurs in large numbers on black smokers ( Martin & Shank, 2005).