Chiropsalmus L. Agassiz, 1862

Gershwin, Lisa-Ann, 2006, Comments on Chiropsalmus (Cnidaria: Cubozoa: Chirodropida): a preliminary revision of the Chiropsalmidae, with descriptions of two new genera and two new species, Zootaxa 1231 (1), pp. 1-42 : 5-6

Genus Chiropsalmus L. Agassiz, 1862

Chiropsalmus Agassiz, 1862: 174 , for Tamoya quadrumana Müller, 1859 . — Haeckel, 1880: 446, addition of C. quadrigatus sp. nov. and C. zygonema sp. nov. — von Lendenfeld, 1884: 247, recognized only 2 species, C. quadrumanus and C. zygonema . — Horst, 1907: 101, added C. buitendijki nov., recognized only 3 species, C. quadrumanus , C. quadrigatus , and C. buitendijki . — Mayer, 1910: 515, recognized all 4 species so far named. — Southcott, 1956: 277, C. zygonema probably immature. — Kramp, 1961: 308, 4 spp. recognized. — Werner, 1984: 133, 2 spp. recognized, C. quadrumanus and C. quadrigatus . — Gershwin, 2005: 124.

Type species Tamoya quadrumana Müller, 1859 .

Revised diagnosis

Chiropsalmidae with nematocyst warts on the exumbrella; with rounded hump in the pedalial canal bend; with finger­shaped, pendant gastric saccules; with well developed lateral gonads; with tentacles narrow in width and round in cross section; lacking mesenteries.

Remarks

The genus Chiropsalmus is herein restricted to include only the former chirodropid species with nematocyst warts on the exumbrellar surface. Chiropsalmus quadrumanus , the type species of the genus, has this distinctive character, as does Chiropsalmus alipes n. sp., described below from the Pacific coast of southern Mexico. This Mexican form is immediately recognizable in having pedalia that more resemble Carybdeida than Chirodropida , i.e., they are long and blade­like, with the branching confined to the very distal end. The enigmatic C. zygonema Haeckel , described from Argentina and not illustrated or observed since, is presumed to belong to this group, because it too has peculiarly blade­like pedalia, although the presence or absence of bell warts was not noted.