Leontocaris amplectipes Bruce, 1990

Ahyong, Shane T., 2010, New species and new records of Caridea (Hippolytidae: Pasiphaeidae) from New Zealand *, Zootaxa 2372 (1), pp. 341-357 : 346-353

publication ID

https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.2372.1.26

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/5F3987EE-9F47-AE39-FF01-50FABBD8FCA6

treatment provided by

Felipe

scientific name

Leontocaris amplectipes Bruce, 1990
status

 

Leontocaris amplectipes Bruce, 1990 View in CoL

( Figs. 4A–B View FIGURE 4 , 5–7 View FIGURE 5 View FIGURE 6 View FIGURE 7 )

Leontocaris amplectipes Bruce, 1990a: 121–129 View in CoL , figs. 1–5 [type locality: S of Point Hicks, Victoria, 38°21.90’S, 149°20.00’E, 1000 m]. — Taylor & Poore 1998: 58–59, fig. 1. — Poore 2009: 964–965.

? Problemacaris spinetum . — Gordon 1964: 332–336, figs. 1–2 [not P. spinetum Stebbing, 1921 ].

Material examined. Bay of Plenty: NIWA 13678 View Materials , 1 male (tcl 15.4 mm, cl 8.5 mm), Otara Seamount, 36°55.35–55.63’S, 177°20.01–20.10’E, 1534– 1513 m, TAN0413/31, sled, with Chrysogorgia coral and sponge, 9.XI.2004 .

Chatham Rise: NIWA 42668, female (tcl 17.1 mm, cl 10.1 mm), 42°39.27–38.88’S, 177°12.79–12.46’W, 1377–1402 m, TAN0705/211, with mixed corals and sponge, 20.IV.2007.

Hikurangi Trough: NIWA 13677, 1 female (tcl 12.6 mm, cl 6.8 mm), Young Nick’s Seamount, 39°26.93– 26.98’S, 179°54.37–55.27’E, 2182– 2119 m, TAN0413/192, sled, with Chrysogorgia and pennatulacean coral, 19.XI.2004.

Victoria, Australia: NMV J191881 View Materials , holotype, presumed male (tcl 9.7 mm; cl 6.1 mm), S of Point Hicks , Victoria, 38°21.90’S, 149°20.00’E, 1000 m, WHOI epibenthic sled, SLOPE 32 , G. Poore et al., 23.VII.1986; NMV J41438 View Materials , 1 male (tcl 12.2 mm, cl 7.0 mm), 1 female (cl 10.5 mm, cl 6.1 mm), S of Point Hicks GoogleMaps , Victoria, 38°21.90’S, 149°20.00’E, 1000 m, WHOI epibenthic sled, SLOPE 32 , G. Poore et al., 23.VII.1986; NMV J41439 View Materials , 1 male (cl 13.2 mm, cl 7.6 mm), 1 female (tcl 9.7 mm, cl 5.6 mm), S of Point Hicks GoogleMaps , Victoria, 38°19.60’S, 149°24.30’E, 930 m, rock, rubble, clay, sand, biogenic sediment WHOI epibenthic sled, SLOPE 33 , M. Gomon et al., 23.VII.1986 GoogleMaps .

Tasmania, Australia: NMV J41249 View Materials , 1 male (cl 7.8 mm), 1 ov. female (tcl 14.8 mm, cl 8.2 mm), “ Andys ” seamount, 65.1 km SSE of Southeast Cape, Tasmania, 44°10.8’S, 146°59.4’E, 900 m, epibenthic sled, SS01/ 97/57, T. N. Stranks et al., 29.I.1997; NMV J58066 View Materials , 1 male (tcl 12.7 mm, cl 7.0 mm), 18 females (11 ovig.) (tcl 7.6–12.6 mm, cl 4.5–7.2 mm), Huon 1000 site, S of Tasmania, 44°04’09”– 44°04’51”S, 147°25’24”– 147°25’08”E, 810–1020 m, epibenthic sled, SS02/2007/59, T. O’Hara & T. Costa, 7.IV.2007 GoogleMaps ; NMV J58077 View Materials , 1 male (tcl 13.3 mm, cl 8.1 mm), 11 females (tcl 10.2–13.5 mm, cl 5.9–8.4 mm), Huon 1000 site, S of Tasmania, 44°04’15”– 44°04’49”S, 147°04’44”– 147°07’55”E, 800–950 m, epibenthic sled, SS02/2007/10, T. O’Hara & T. Costa, 31.III.2007 GoogleMaps ; NMV J41247 View Materials , 1 male (tcl 9.1 mm, cl 4.9 mm), 3 females (2 ovig.) (cl 8.3–9.9 mm), J1 Seamount , 82.6 km SSE of Southeast Cape, 44°14.4’S, 147°21.6’E, 1200m, epibenthic sled, SS01/97/40, T. N. Stranks et al., 27.I.1997 GoogleMaps .

Diagnosis. Rostrum well-developed, straight, shorter than cl, apex reaching beyond antennular peduncle; spination 12–20 dorsal (3–6 postorbital), 2–6 ventral; suborbital lobe with rounded apex, reaching beyond apex of antennal spine. Abdominal terga and pleura unarmed. Telson with 3–5 (usually 4) pairs of articulated marginal spines. Antennule stylocerite short, quadrate, with small distolateral spine. Antennal scaphocerite exceeding antennular peduncle; length 2.5–3.0 times central width; distal 0.6 of outer margin with 10–17 slender spines; distal lamella distinctly exceeding distal, lateral spine. Eye with cornea distinctly wider than stalk. Mandibular palp 1-articulate. Major pereopod 2 chela palm inner surface of marginal flange with minute, circular, glabrous tympanum at about propodal midlength. Pereopods 3–4 meri with 4 and 2 or 3 articulated spines respectively. Pereopods 3–5 dactyli about 0.4 propodus length. Uropodal exopod outer margin proximal to articulated spine minutely and sparsely dentate, without row of prominent teeth.

Description of New Zealand material. Carapace ( Figs. 4A, B View FIGURE 4 ; 5A View FIGURE 5 , 6D View FIGURE 6 ) smooth, glabrous. Rostrum welldeveloped, straight, slightly descending, 0.7–0.9 times cl, apex reaching beyond antennular peduncle; spines well-spaced, slender, inclined anteriorly, 17–20 dorsal (4–6 postorbital), 2 or 3 ventral; lateral carina prominent in proximal third, becoming indistinct in distal two-thirds. Suborbital lobe ( Fig. 6D View FIGURE 6 ) produced to rounded apex, reaching beyond apex of antennal spine. Antennal spine slender, with distinct carina. Pterygostomial margin rounded, unarmed, at most slightly produced anteriorly. Branchial regions with shallow, arcuate groove.

Abdomen smooth, glabrous; somites 1–5 unarmed dorsally or laterally; pleura rounded ( Fig. 5A View FIGURE 5 ). Somite 6 twice as long as high; posterolateral angles above uropodal articulation with or without small tooth (absent in smallest specimen; present on both sides in male; absent on one side in largest female). Telson ( Fig. 6E View FIGURE 6 ) length 3.2–3.4 times width, 1.8–1. 9 times as long as somite 6; 3–5 (usually 4) pairs of articulated marginal spines; posterior margin rounded, with 8 or 9 articulated spines.

Antennule ( Fig. 6A, C View FIGURE 6 ) shorter than rostrum; article 1 subcylindrical, unarmed, 5.1 times as long as distal width; stylocerite short, quadrate, with small distolateral spine; article 2 about half length of article 1; article 3 slightly longer than half length of article 2. Upper flagellum robust; lower flagellum slender.

Antenna ( Fig. 6A, B View FIGURE 6 ) with stout, unarmed basicerite; distal peduncular article subcylindrical, 10–11 times as long as wide, reaching anteriorly to level of distal marginal spine of scaphocerite and apex of antennular peduncle; flagellum 2.4 times cl. Scaphocerite well-developed, exceeding antennular and antennal peduncles; length 3.0 times central width; proximal 0.4 of outer margin gently concave, smooth, unarmed; distal 0.6 of outer margin straight, lined with 12–17 slender, anterolaterally inclined spines; distal lamella rounded, distinctly exceeding distal, lateral spine.

Eye with large, globular, well-pigmented cornea, diameter about 0.2 cl., distinctly wider than stalk; ocellus absent ( Fig. 6A View FIGURE 6 ).

Epistome unarmed. Thoracic sternum ( Fig. 6F View FIGURE 6 ) narrow anteriorly, broadening posteriorly; sternite 4 with small rounded median boss; sternites 5 and 6 with prominent, hemispherical median boss; sternite 7 with small rounded boss; sternite 8 smooth.

Mandibular palp 1-articulate ( Fig. 6G View FIGURE 6 ); about 3 times as long as wide; with single apical seta.

Maxilla 1 ( Fig. 6H View FIGURE 6 ) with slender, feeble, bilobed palp; distal and proximal each with long, slender seta, that of distal lobe plumose, that of proximal lobe simple. Upper lacinia broadened centrally, distally with double row of stout spines and numerous simple setae. Lower lacinia distally pointed, setose.

Maxilla 2 ( Fig. 6I View FIGURE 6 ) palp short, slender, with single, simple, distal seta; basal endite bilobed, setose, distal lobe slightly wider than proximal lobe; coxal endite short, rounded, sparsely setose. Scaphognathite about 2.5 times as long as wide.

Maxilliped 1 ( Fig. 6J View FIGURE 6 ) with short, digitiform palp, with sparse marginal setae; basal endite broad, rounded distally, densely setose marginally; exopod with large, broad, caridean lobe; flagellum well developed, exceeding margin of caridean lobe by length similar to that of the palp; epipod large, bilobed.

Maxilliped 2 ( Fig. 6K View FIGURE 6 ) dactylus about twice as long as wide; exopod flagellum well-developed, distinctly exceeding endopod; epipod simple, with podobranch.

Maxilliped 3 ( Fig. 6L View FIGURE 6 ) slender, extending anteriorly beyond antennular peduncle by half length of distal peduncular article; dactylus finely tapering, mesial margin setose; with small arthrobranch.

Pereopods 1 ( Fig. 7A View FIGURE 7 ) similar, slender, reaching anteriorly to end of or slightly beyond antennular peduncle. Dactylus half length of palm. Palm height 0.4–0. 5 length. Dactylus and pollex distally setose. Carpus subcylindrical, widest distally, unarmed, length 2.5–2.8 times chela length. Merus subcylindrical, widest distally, unarmed, 0.7–0.9 carpus length. Ischium half length of carpus. Basis without exopod. Coxa without epipod or arthrobranch.

Pereopods 2 strongly unequal and dissimilar. Major pereopod 2 ( Fig. 5A–D View FIGURE 5 , 7B View FIGURE 7 ) merus exceeding antennal peduncle. Chela palm smooth, glabrous except for sparse setae on proximal extensor margin (ventromesial surface when folded); length about 4 times central width; mesial margin with prominent flange along distal two-thirds; inner surface of flange with minute, circular, glabrous tympanum at about propodal midlength. Pollex occlusal margin with 3 broad teeth; distal 2 blunt, rounded to subquadrate; proximal multidentate, sparsely setose. Dactylus strongly compressed, exceeding pollex almost by length pollex; extensor margin smooth, rounded, finely setose; occlusal margin with short distal tooth and small proximal tooth and large, sharp, triangular tooth. Carpus 4-articulate; proximal article slender, longer than ischiomerus; distal 3 articles short, polygonal, forming ‘elbow’. Merus length 0.7 times length of proximal carpal article; flexor margin with longitudinal groove, mesial margin of groove with several granules proximal to midlength; proximal mesial margin with low flange and line of digitiform villi above margin of flexor groove. Ischium 0.4–0.5 merus length.

Minor pereopod 2 ( Fig. 7C, D View FIGURE 7 ) longer than carapace length; merus reaching anteriorly to end of or beyond antennular peduncle article 1; proximal carpal article overreaching antennular peduncle by half to threefourths carpal article length. Dactylus and pollex straight, tapering, sparsely setose, about 0.8 palm length; palm length about twice height. Combined length of chela and distal carpal article shorter than proximal carpal article (0.9 in smallest specimen to 0. 7 in largest specimen). Carpus distal article about half length of chela palm and about twice length of second and third articles; proximal article long, slender, about 1.2–1.3 times merus length. Merus as long as ischium, both unarmed.

Pereopods 3–5 slender ( Fig. 7E–G View FIGURE 7 ); pereopod 3 merus extending anteriorly beyond midlength of antennular peduncle article 1, carpus exceeding antennular peduncle by half to three-fourths carpal article length; dactyli arcuate, unguis spiniform, flexor margin with tuft of setae, extensor margin sparsely setose, length less than half propodus length (0.34–0.44); propodus slightly arcuate, flexor margin concave, medially setose. Pereopod 3 propodus about 0.5 carpus length; carpus 1.1 times merus length (as long as major pereopod 2 merus), with 4 articulated spines; ischium 0.4 times merus length, with 1 articulated spine (absent on one side of cl. 6.8 mm female). Pereopod 4 propodus about 0.5–0.6 carpus length; carpus as long as merus, with 2 or 3 articulated spines; ischium 0.4–0.5 times merus length, with 1 articulated spine. Pereopod 5 propodus 0.6 carpus length; carpus as long as merus, with 1 articulated spine distally; ischium half 0.5 merus length, unarmed.

Appendix masculina ( Fig. 7I, H View FIGURE 7 ) distally setose; about 5 times as long as wide and 0.6 length of appendix interna.

Uropodal protopod unarmed ( Fig. 6E View FIGURE 6 ). Endopod as long as, but narrower than exopod, exceeding posterior margin of telson; length 3.3–4.2 times width. Exopod length 3.0–3.3 times width; with 1 articulated spine at margin of diaeresis; lateral margin proximal to diaeresis with 4–6 minute, widely spaced teeth (including tooth adjacent to articulated spine at diaeresis); diaeresis indistinct.

Colour in life. Uniformly reddish orange; rostrum transparent.

Remarks. Leontocaris amplectipes is recorded from New Zealand for the first time, extending its known range eastwards across the Tasman Sea. The New Zealand specimens correspond well to Australian material, including the holotype. In L. amplectipes , the rostrum extends at least as far as, and usually overreaches, the distal article of the antennular peduncle. Rostral spination is 12–20 dorsal (3–6 postorbital), and 2–6 ventral. Features overlooked in the type description, but present in all specimens examined, including the holotype, are the presence of minute denticulation on the uropodal exopod margin proximal to the diaeresis, and articulated spines on the meri of pereopods 3–5 and ischia of pereopods 3–4. Pereopod 3 bears 2–4 meral spines and 1 ischial spine (rarely absent on one side). Pereopod 4 bears 2 or 3 meral spines and 1 ischial spine. Pereopod 5 bears one meral spine distally and no ischial spine. As noted by Bruce (1990a), the holotype is a small specimen, probably male, and in poor condition. Thus, L. amplectipes is rediagnosed and New Zealand material illustrated and described.

Allometric variation is evident in the length:width ratio of the scaphocerite (about 2.5 in the holotype to about 3.0 in the largest specimen), and length of the minor P2 chela (the combined length of the minor pereopod 2 chela and distal carpal article exceeds the length of the proximal carpal article in the smallest specimens, becoming shorter than that article in the largest specimens).

The proportional lengths of the dactyli of pereopods 3–5 become reduced with increasing size such that the pereopod 5 dactylus is 0.44 propodus length in the smallest specimen ranging to 0.38 in the largest specimen. Of the 45 specimens examined, the major pereopod 2 is on the right side in 21 of 37 females, and on the right side in 6 of 8 males.

As observed by Bruce (1990a) the dactyli and propodi of the walking legs of L. amplectipes appear to be prehensile, resembling that of some species of Chirostylidae that live on and among the branches of deepwater soft corals; the New Zealand specimens of L. amlectipes were collected together with gorgonacean corals.

Gordon (1964) reported the presence of larval Leontocaris (as Problemacaris spinetum Stebbing, 1921 ) from waters of the Chatham Rise (40°40’S, 176°36’E; 340 m). Although several ‘species’ of Problemacaris have been tentatively associated with adults on the basis of several co-occurrences (see Fransen 2001), the presence of at least three species of Leontocaris on the Chatham Rise, makes identification of the New Zealand larva more difficult. Unlike Problemacaris spinetum sensu stricto from South Africa, Gordon’s (1964) New Zealand larva has an unarmed rather than spinose outer margin of the uropodal exopod, which corresponds to adult L. amplectipes , having a similarly unarmed uropodal exopod; L. alexander and L. yarramundi both have spinose outer margins on the uropodal exopod. Alternatively, the strong similarity between the New Zealand Problemacaris and P. spinetum from South Africa, fide Gordon (1964), suggests that the larva might belong to L. alexander , which most closely resembles the South African L. paulsoni Stebbing, 1905 .

Distribution. South-eastern Australia and eastern New Zealand between the Bay of Plenty and the Chatham Rise; 750–2182 m.

NIWA

National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research

NMV

Museum Victoria

WHOI

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

T

Tavera, Department of Geology and Geophysics

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Malacostraca

Order

Decapoda

Family

Hippolytidae

Genus

Leontocaris

Loc

Leontocaris amplectipes Bruce, 1990

Ahyong, Shane T. 2010
2010
Loc

Leontocaris amplectipes

Poore, G. C. B. 2009: 964
Taylor, J. & Poore, G. C. B. 1998: 58
Bruce, A. J. 1990: 129
1990
Loc

Problemacaris spinetum

Gordon, I. 1964: 332
1964
Darwin Core Archive (for parent article) View in SIBiLS Plain XML RDF