Eurycyde raphiaster Loman, 1912

Sabroux, Romain, Hassanin, Alexandre & Corbari, Laure, 2022, Sea spiders (Arthropoda: Pycnogonida) collected during the Madibenthos Expedition from Martinique shallow waters, European Journal of Taxonomy 851 (1), pp. 1-141 : 48-49

Eurycyde raphiaster Loman, 1912

Fig. 9K

Eurycyde raphiaster Loman, 1912: 13 .

Eurycyde raphiaster – Bouvier 1917: 33–35, pl. 4 figs 2–7. — Hedgpeth 1948 (?): 260–261, fig. 45; 1954: 427. — Fage 1952: 530. — Stock 1954a: 116; 1975a: 979; 1979: 3; 1990: 209. — Fage & Stock 1966: 316. — Birkeland et al. 1976: 133. — Child 1979: 21; 1982a: 360; 1988a: 8 (key); 1992b: 8 (key), 27–28, tab. 3, fig. 11; 2009: 818 (list). — Müller 1992a: 45. — Lalana & Ortiz 1994: tab. 1. — Nakamura & Chullasorn 2000: 2 (key). — Arango 2002: tab. 1, figs 2–4 (phylogeny). — Arango & Wheeler 2007: 261, appendix 1, figs 1–4 (phylogeny), 6d, 7a, 8 (phylogeny). — Nakamura et al. 2007: tab. 1, fig. 1 (phylogeny). — Müller & Krapp 2009: 10–13 , 61 (key), 64–67, 137 (list), figs 32–33. — Arabi et al. 2010: tab. 2, figs 1–3 (phylogeny). — Sabroux et al. 2017: appendices 1–2, figs 3–5 (phylogeny); 2019 (pro parte): 1525, 1531, tab. 1, figs 3, 5.

Type material

Holotype: MOM INV-0001360 (not examined). Type locality: 4 miles southwest of Boa Vista, Cap Verde .

Material examined

MARTINIQUE • 1 ♂; Passe du Marin ; 14°26.8ʹ N, 60°54.3ʹ W; depth 15 m; 9 Sep. 2016; st. AB165; MNHN-IU-2016-818/ MK411139 • 1 juv.; Grande Anse d’Arlets ; 14°29.9ʹ N, 61°05.4ʹ W; depth 28 m; 7 Sep. 2016; st. AB157; MNHN-IU-2016-822/ MK411141 • 1 ♂; same collection data as for preceding; MNHN-IU-2016-541/ MK411114 • 6 ♂♂; same collection data as for preceding; MNHN-IU-2016-544 • 1 juv.; same collection data as for preceding; MNHN-IU-2016-548 • 1 juv.; same collection data as for preceding; MNHN-IU-2016-1282 • 1 ♂; Ste-Luce ; 14°27.3ʹ N, 60°55.5ʹ W; depth 15 m; 10 Sep. 2016; st. AB062; MNHN-IU-2016-543 • 1 ♂ ov., 1 ♀; Rocher du Diamant ; 14°26.6ʹ N, 61°02.4ʹ W; depth 22 m; 9 Sep. 2016; st. AB163; MNHN-IU-2016-546 • 2 juvs; N Le Lorrain ; 14°55.1ʹ N, 61°02.4ʹ W; depth 63 m; 21 Sep. 2016; st. AD257; MNHN-IU-2016-1133 • 2 ♀♀; Rocher du Diamant ; 14°26.5ʹ N, 61°02.4ʹ W; depth 24 m; 14 Sep. 2016; st. AB173; MNHN-IU-2016-1156 • 1 juv.; Vétiver ; 14°37.8ʹ N, 61°07.7ʹ W; depth 25 m; 8 Sep. 2016; st. AB161; MNHN-IU-2016-1189/ MK411076 • 2 ♂♂, 1 juv.; Pointe de la Baleine ; 14°31.1ʹ N, 61°05.9ʹ W; depth 17–19 m; 30 Sep. 2016; st. AB369; MNHN- IU-2016-1256 • 2 ♀♀; Le Prêcheur ; 14°47.2ʹ N, 61°13.1ʹ W; depth 10–17 m; 3 Oct. 2016; st. AR383; MNHN-IU-2016-1305 .

Remarks

Unlike Müller & Krapp (2009), we have never observed an absence of the lateral process tubercle in females.

Eurycyde raphiaster and E. kaiouti sp. nov. are very similar species that may have been mistaken in the past. After revising literature illustrations, we agree with the determinations of Müller & Krapp (2009) (at least the illustrated male), while Hedgpeth (1948) and Child (1992b) may have illustrated E. kaiouti rather than E. raphiaster .

Although the species is abundant in the Caribbean, this is its first record in Martinique. Our data suggest that it is less common in Martinique than E. clitellaria or E. kaiouti . The species was most often collected on the Caribbean coast, though a few specimens were sampled off Le Lorain and Presqu’Île de la Caravelle on the Atlantic coast.

Distribution

Bahamas, Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean, Cap Verde, Guyana and Senegal.

Depth range

0– 91 m.

Figures

Fig. 9. Comparison between Eurycyde kaiouti sp. nov. (A–J) and E. raphiaster Loman, 1912 (K). A–J. Holotype, ♂, MNHN-IU-2016-1129. K. ♂, MNHN-IU-2016-818. A. Body, dorsal view. B. Body, lateral view (same scale as A). C. Oviger. D. Oviger strigilis. E. Pointed teeth of oviger strigilis. F. Third leg. G. Tarsus and propodus of third leg. H. Chelifore. I. Chela bud. J. Palp. K. Body, dorsal view (same scale as A).