Pseudopallene pachycheira (Haswell, 1885)

Arango, Claudia P. & Brenneis, Georg, 2013, New species of Australian Pseudopallene (Pycnogonida: Callipallenidae) based on live colouration, morphology and DNA, Zootaxa 3616 (5), pp. 401-436 : 420

Pseudopallene pachycheira (Haswell, 1885)

Figs. 2 F, 3H, 10A–D

Material examined: ( S92220 ) 1 female (PSE8), 1 sub-adult (PSE11a), on Orthoscuticella spp., Nov- 24 2009, Fog Rock, Eaglehawk Neck, Tasmania , 10–17 m depth; ( S92222 ) 1 sub-adult (TAS21), Jan-26 2007, in kelp forest, Fortescue Bay, Eaglehawk Neck, Tasmania , 21 m depth.

Remarks: This species is easily recognised by the distinct constrictions on the three longer leg articles ( Fig. 10 C). The chela fingers are short and stout, the movable finger with a mid-point lobe on the cutting edge ( Fig. 10 B). The cephalon shows a clear longitudinal division in frontal view ( Fig. 10 A) and the propodus is curved with six large heel spines and a long terminal claw ( Fig. 10 D). Interestingly, the live female specimen showed a yellow colouration with an orange banding pattern on body and legs ( Fig. 2 F), which seems to deviate from the orangebrownish colouration previously reported (Staples 1997, 2008).

Figures

FIGURE 2. Live colouration of some of the species of Pseudopallene and Stylopallene included in the study. A, fresh live bryozoans Orthoscuticella spp. with many Pseudopallene specimens; B, P. constricta sp. nov., male in ventral view with egg masses attached to the ovigers; C, P. ‘ variabilis’ - complex, frontal-ventral view, note black tips of proboscis and chela fingers; D, P. flava sp. nov. in its natural habitat; E, Close-up of P. brevicephala male characterized by uniform orange-red body and legs, bearing orange eggs and transparent post-embryonic stages; F, P. pachycheira attached to bryozoan, showing banding pattern and constrictions of long leg articles; G, P. h a r r i s i sp. nov. in its natural habitat showing red-and-yellow colouration; H, specimen from the P. ‘ variabilis’ - complex with yellow-and-red colouration attached to live bryozoan; I, Stylopallene cheilorhynchus showing characteristic live black-and-creamy-white banding, photograph taken in captivity. All specimens from Eaglehawk Neck, Tasmania except 2 G and 2 H collected at Bass point, New South Wales.

FIGURE 10. Pseudopallene pachycheira (Haswell, 1885). Female (S 92220). A, frontal view; B, detail of chelae; C, third leg showing diagnostic ring-like constrictions along femur, tibia 1 and 2; D, propodus and terminal claw of third walking leg. Scale bars on stereomicroscopic images = 1 mm.