Minyaspis, Van, Robert J. & Dekelboum, Allen M., 2011

Van, Robert J. & Dekelboum, Allen M., 2011, Oxynaspididae (Crustacea, Cirripedia): phylogenetics and evolutionary ecology, with descriptions of three new genera and six new species, Zootaxa 3103, pp. 1-32 : 15-16

Minyaspis gen. nov.

Type species. Minyaspis amylaneae sp. nov.

Type locality. Fiji Is, Great Astrolabe Reef, NE of Dravuni I., 18° 44.08’ S, 178° 32.63’ E, depth: 14 m.

Diagnosis. Scutum thin, fragile, not calcified along carinal and tergal margins, resulting in incomplete coverage of capitulum. Tergum sometimes incompletely calcified. Scutum with pronounced adductor muscle pit. Basal end of carina commonly forked, not rounded or truncate.

Etymology. Miny - from the Greek, minys, small, and -aspis, a shield.

Remarks. The species placed within this genus are generally defined by partially calcified capitular plates. Although one might consider this reduction in calcification to be a trait commonly found in cirripeds in obligate commensal relationships in which they are closely associated with host taxa tissues (e.g. sponge-inhabiting barnacles, see Kolbasov 1993; Van Syoc and Newman 2010), we contend that in the case of oxynaspidids the reduction of calcification is a synapomorphy of the genus Minyaspis sp. nov. Independent data sets, such as those derived from DNA sequences, could test this hypothesis. To date, however, we have not been able to obtain suitable tissues for DNA extraction from the great bulk of oxynaspidid species. Previously described species of Oxynaspis , newly referred to the genus Minyaspis , ordered alphabetically by species, with the known hosts of type specimens and type localities, are listed below.

Minyaspis acapitula ( Foster and Buckeridge, 1995: 351–353); Réunion; 120 m; host not mentioned

Minyaspis aurivillii ( Stebbing, 1900: 675, pl. 74c); New Britain, Papua New Guinea; 40 fathoms [73 m.]; antipatharian

Minyaspis bocki ( Nilsson-Cantell, 1921: 228–230); Goto Islands, Kyushu, Japan; 230 m; “Hornkorallen”

Minyaspis faroni ( Totton, 1940: 483–486); Red Sea; Antipathes lentispina

Minyaspis floridana ( Pilsbry, 1953: 15–16); off Palm Beach, Florida; 50–60 fathoms [91– 110 m.]; antipatharian

Minyaspis granti ( Totton, 1940: 480–482); 80 miles [133 km] south of Penang, Malaysia; antipatharian

Minyaspis michi ( Zevina, 1983: 1636 –1637); Nazca Ridge; 25°45’ S, 85°22’ W; 240– 210 m; host not mentioned

Minyaspis patens ( Aurivillius, 1892: 38, pl. III, Figs 1 , 2 ); West Indies, Anguilla; Antipathes

Minyaspis pulchra ( Nilsson-Cantell, 1934: 46–54); 10°27’46” S, 126°4’30” E [south of Timor Island, Indonesia]; “from telegraph cable”, no host mentioned in text, however the holotype is illustrated ( Nilsson-Cantell, 1934: 48, Fig. 1 a) attached to what appears to be an antipatharian axis

Minyaspis reducens ( Foster, 1982: 221–223); Fung Head, Sai Kung Peninsula, Hong Kong; 12 m; Antipathella japonica and Cirrhipathes anguina

Minyaspis sinensis ( Ren, 1983: 85–86, Fig. 2 ); East China Sea; 29°30’ N, 126°00’ E; 96 m; antipatharian

Minyaspis terranovae ( Totton, 1923: 116–118); New Zealand; 189 m; Antipathes lilliei

Figures

FIGURE 1. Archoxynaspis eocenica (Withers, 1935), copy of Plate XVI from Withers, 1935. Wither’s original caption follows: EXPLANATION OF PLATE XVI. Lepas eocenica, sp. n. Middle Eocene, Ledian, Upper Bracklesham Beds: Selsey Bill, Sussex. Figs. 1 – 3. Scuta. Holotype (fig. 1), a. outer view; b, inner view. Figs. 4 – 11. Carina (incomplete). Figs. 4, 10, outer view of two plates showing basal plate; fig. 5, outer view of apical part; figs. 6, 7, inner view of two basal parts, showing variation in outward curvature of basal plate; figs. 8, 9, side view of two plates, fig. 8 showing cross-section; fig. 11, plate with basal plate broken away. Figs. 12 – 14. Terga, outer views. Fig. 15. Reconstruction. (Figs. 1 – 15, x 6 diam.)

FIGURE 2. Pycnaspis connectens (Broch, 1931), copy of Figure 13 from Broch, 1931. Specimen in side view (a), first cirrus with basal filamentary appendage (b), mouthparts in side view (c), labrum seen from the ventral side (d), mandible (e), maxilla 1 (f).