Pigrogromitus timsanus Calman, 1927

George, Zarish, Siddiqui, Ghazala, George, Nazish & Lucena, Rudá Amorim, 2020, A new species of Achelia (Pycnogonida: Ammotheidae) and first records of intertidal sea spiders found on Zoanthus (Cnidaria: Zoantharia) from Karachi Pakistan, Zootaxa 4821 (2), pp. 371-393 : 378

Pigrogromitus timsanus Calman, 1927

( Figure 6 )

Clotenopsa prima Hilton, 1942: 52–53 , fig. 8.

Material examined: ( CEMB, PYC– 020) 1♂ and 1♀, Buleji, 20.x.2014, on Zoanthus sansibaricus ; ( CEMB, PYC–021 ) 1♀, Buleji, 23.iv.2015, on Zoanthus sansibaricus ; ( CEMB, PYC–022 ) 2♂ and 2♀, Buleji, 19.iii.2015, on Zoanthus sansibaricus ; ( CEMB, PYC–023 ) 1♂, Buleji, 02.i.2014, on Zoanthus sansibaricus ; ( CEMB, PYC–024 ) 1♂, Sandspit, 01.xii.2014, on Zoanthus sansibaricus ; ( CEMB, PYC–025 ) 1♀, Sandspit, 26.i.2015, on Zoanthus sansibaricus .

Remarks: Pigrogromitus timsanus has been reported from two locations in Pakistan; Paradise Point and Clifton ( Stock 1968; Moazzam 1987). This study further extends the distribution of P. timsanus to Karachi coast. This was the most abundant species in this study with 10 specimens, three of which were ovigerous females.

Despite the current classification positioning Pigrogromitus with the Ascorhynchoidea, we agree with Lucena & Christoffersen (2019) in proposing that this genus has much more evidence that brings it closer to Callipallenidae , than to Ammotheidae , as proposed by Bamber (2007). Future analyzes that include this and other complicated genera, mostly grouped in Ascorhychoideda incerta sedis, are necessary in order to position these groups in a nonarbitrary classification.

Distribution: Circum (sub) tropical ( Zenetos et al. 2010). Pakistan ( Moazzam 1987). For complete distribution see Lucena & Christoffersen (2019).

Figures

FIGURE 6. Pigrogromitus timsanus Calman, 1927, male: (A) dorsal view; (B) lateral view; (C) chelifore; (D) oviger; (E) 3rd leg; (F) claw of propodus. Scale bar: (A–B) 0.5mm; (C) 0.1 mm; (D) 0.25 mm; (E–F) 0.1 mm.