Nymphopsis Haswell, 1884

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 : 38-39

Nymphopsis Haswell, 1884

Nymphopsis duodorsospinosa Hilton, 1942

Figs. 15–16

Nymphopsis duodorsospinosa Hilton, 1942: 303 . Child 1979: 29 (literature). Child 1982: 363. Stock 1986: 401.

Material. 4.— 1 male ( ZFMK), coral rubble, 18 m, 9.X.1985 .

43.— 1 male (v.), 1 fem. (gravid), 1 juv. ( SMF 1119 ), on Thalassia , 1–1.5 m, 25.II.1986 .

45.— 1 juv. ( ZMA 3374 ), on algae, hydroids and bryozoans on rock, 6–10 m, 25.IX.1985 .

Description of male: Dorsal trunk outline almost round, compact, crurigers separated by about 1/3 of their diameter; all segments fused. Ocular process 2.5 times higher than broad, apically rounded, eyes distinctly pigmented. Crurigers bearing some short distal tubercle dorsally and laterally, covered with numerous short spines. Trunk with 2 long narrow tubercles in dorso-median line, higher than ocular process and armed with numerous short spines. Abdomen erect or almost horizontal, antero-medially with two spiny tubercles, proximal one distinctly lower; near to apex one more low spiny tubercle. Proboscis oval, robust, about 3/4 trunk length.

Cheliphore scape two-articled, proximal one unarmed, 1/8 length of distal article, which bearing a dorsomedian low spiny tubercle; 7–9 short spines on its distal margin; chela a stump. Palp 9-articled; articles 2 and 4 long and narrow; articles 5–9 with numerous short spines, mostly in ventral, distal and lateral positions. Oviger 10-articled; 4th article the longest, narrow and slightly curved; 5 th article 3/4 length of 4th, distally with 6 long narrow spines; articles 6–10 short with a rather irregular set of spines.

Legs robust; coxa 1 with 2–3 rounded spiny tubercles in dorsal and lateral positions; coxa 2 latero-distal with paired round and spiny tubercles. Coxa 2 ventro-distally with salient finger-like male genital process, which is beset with numerous short spines. Coxa 3 lacking distinct tubercles. Femur medio-laterally and medio-ventrally with round spiny tubercle; on distal end with 5 spiny tubercles which point in lateral and dorsal directions; cement gland tube very short and curved dorsally, near rear margin of dorso-distal tubercle; tibiae 1 and 2 subequal in length, dorsally and dorso-laterally with numerous narrow spiny tubercles, which on tibia 1 are separated into proximal and distal groups. Tarsus longer than broad, sole proximally with 4 robust spines, distally with series of about 12 short spines; main claw moderately curved, 2/3 length of propodus; auxiliary very short about 1/6 length of main claw.

Measurements: Trunk length 1.91; width 2.04 (across 2 nd crurigers); length of abdomen 1.1; proboscis length 1.59; length of cheliphores 1.22. Length of articles of leg 3: coxa 1—0.44; coxa 2—0.91; coxa 3— 0.64; femur 1.79; tibia 1—1.90; tibia 2—1.80; tarsus 0.38; propodus 1.04; main claw 0.71; auxilary claw 0.13.

Female: Habitus like male. Oviger much shorter than in male, articles 5–10 with few short setae.

Remarks: N. duodorsospinosa appears nearly related to Nymphopsis melidae Sawaya, 1947 from Brazil, which is in habitus very similar, but has 3 dorso-median trunk processes and some additional short spines at the anterior margin of crurigers 2 and 3.

N. duodorsospinosa does not demonstrate a distinct preference for substrata. Including data from existing literature, the depth range reaches from the mesolittoral down to 60 m.

Distribution: Pacific: Galápagos archipelago, from Gulf of California southwards to Panamá. Western Atlantic: South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Belize, Panamá (Child 1982: 363) and Colombia.

Figures

FIGURE 15. Nymphopsis duodorsospinosa Hilton, 1942: A male dorsal, B male lateral, C male palp, D female oviger.

FIGURE 16. Nymphopsis duodorsospinosa Hilton, 1942: A male oviger, B male leg 3, C cement gland duct.